want to do Disney on the cheap

[FLA]

I'm really surprised no one said I should save my money and not go because I live on a low income on disability. I guess because I'm a good saver.

[Butterscotch]

Just be honest with yourself about how you feel about crowds and heat. I loved Disney as a kid in the 80s/90s, but I know I will never take my kids there due to the crowds and painfully long lines. I went 5 years ago with my husband and we waited hours for rides on weekdays. We were able to entertain ourselves with conversation and iPhones, but I doubt I could keep kids happy for that long. And that was 5 years ago, from what I hear it is worse now. But if you can handle crowds and heat go for it.

I will however take my kids to hotels with amazing pools, or water parks. Or to events like renaissance fairs or carnivals, so they do have fun, just not Disney fun. My son recently started asking about going to Disney World, but I know how he is and it wouldn’t live up to the expectations he gets from commercials. But your daughter is older so she can probably be more reasonable about the realities of super crowds. Good luck with whatever you decide to do!

[FLA]

I'm going with DBF, he's Egyptian-American and has only been to one amusement park in his life. Disney's gonna blow him away. I offered to take DD, she countered with Paris. Um, NO. I'm kind of glad she said no to Disney, she's been a bunch of times and I couldn't really afford to take her. Although, I would someday love to see Paris with her. But I'd have to be a hell of a lot better health wise to do it.

As for lines and heat, I think DBF is gonna be tough. I'm a Disney planner, I have every day mapped out to avoid long lines, get all of our fast passes and get there at rope drop. DBF likes to sleep in but hates lines, plus he doesn't like rides that go up in the air or spin (just about every ride there) so there's going to be a lot of compromising. He can sleep in and I'll go early, do the rides he would hate and pick him up later, stuff like that. I have to learn that it's not necessary to have every single experience at Disney that you can possibly have, that it's fine to relax by the pool for a day. It should be interesting! At any rate, November has to be better than August, that heat was so bad, DD and I were exhausted and skipped stuff just to go back to the room. At least DBF comes from the desert, he should be fine with the heat!

[disneysteve]

painfully long lines. I went 5 years ago with my husband and we waited hours for rides

This can be minimized through advance planning and setting realistic expectations. We go to Disney at least once a year, often twice, and we never wait for more than 20-30 minutes for an attraction, and honestly it's rarely that long.

FastPass is free for everyone but so many people don't use it or use it inefficiently. And I will readily admit that we sometimes skip attractions that we can't get on without a exceptionally long wait. If something is on your "must do" list, get that FP in advance or factor in that standby wait time to your plans.

The last time we waited more than 30 minutes for an attraction was when we went to Pandora the week it opened. We didn't have a FP for Na'vi River Journey but a group of us decided to get in line and wait for it (which isn't worth it as it turns out but we didn't know that at the time). I think the posted wait was 60 minutes but ended up being about 40. But we were with friends and chatting and having a good time the whole time we were in line, and it was at night so it wasn't quite as hot.

[disneysteve]

he doesn't like rides that go up in the air or spin (just about every ride there)

There are plenty of attractions that don't go up in the air or spin. As for not wanting to wake up early, that is a problem because, as I said earlier, the best time to go to minimize the heat and crowds is rope drop. Get in the park at 9 and be ready to head out for a break by 1. If he doesn't want to start his day until noon, he needs to understand that he will encounter bigger crowds, longer lines, and higher temperatures - and there's no humidity in the desert. This is swamp land. It's a much different kind of heat.

[FLA]

Steve, do you stay on property and eat most of your dinners at sit down restaurants in the park?

I'm glad you know so much about Disney and love it as an adult. My kids seemed to have outgrown it, I have not

[disneysteve]

Steve, do you stay on property and eat most of your dinners at sit down restaurants in the park?

We do not stay on site and do not do sit down meals on property.

[FLA]

We don't either. I did take the kids to that place where the waitresses are all mothers and tell you to eat your veggies, they thought that was hilarious but that was 10 yrs ago at least. That was my last sit down dinner at Disney, the food just isn't all that great for the money, IMHO.

[Thrif-t]

I think with the advanced FP's being able to sleep in and go later is feasible now. You can go like you said at rope drop and ride what you want before the crowds build up.

Get advanced FP for whatever time your DBF would want to start his day. After you tap in at the 3rd FP ride, you can get on the app and start looking for another, and just keep going from there. Sure you may not get a lot of headliners but you'll have plenty, especially at MK.

We never wait in long lines at Disney but we're advanced planners. You have to have a plan, you can't wing it.

[bennkar]

Just getting around to reading these Disney threads now. Good info, but one thing I would add as a possibility.... if you are concerned about the sun (as you should) buy some "golf sleeves". I have taken them my last 5 trips to Florida, and they are great. They cover my arms from near the shoulder to wrists. They are much cooler in the sun than being bare with sun screen on. And I never have a bit of sun burn as they have UV protection.

Its your call if you want to wear something like that, but I won't go any more without mine. If I were to forget them, that would be the first thing I would buy once I arrived.

[msomnipotent]

I'm really surprised no one said I should save my money and not go because I live on a low income on disability. I guess because I'm a good saver.

Because we know from your posts that you are smart with your money.


Soooo.....your BF doesn't like lines, rides that move, and wants to sleep in. Are you really sure you want to take him to Disney?

It has been years since I went to Orlando, but we went in February both times and the weather was great. It was in the 50's and 60's. We stayed at the Staybridge Suites last time and even though it was a little more for the room, I felt that we saved money in the long run. The room had a kitchen and was in walking distance to a grocery store. They had free breakfast and their "snack" in the evening made our dinner. There was a free shuttle to the park, but it was uncomfortably crowded. We opted to drive there because we had tiny kids that would get lost in the shuffle, but 2 adults could manage.

I'm wondering if there is still the time shares out there, where you listen to a hard sell for 2 hrs and then stay in their rooms for free and maybe get free or discounted tickets.

[bennkar]

I'm wondering if there is still the time shares out there, where you listen to a hard sell for 2 hrs and then stay in their rooms for free and maybe get free or discounted tickets.

We did the listen to time share spiel and stay for free routine last year. No free Disney tickets however. Though in my mind the free place to stay is worth more than WDW tickets anyway.

But to do the time share presentation you almost universally need to have above a certain level of yearly earnings. If the OP is on disability, that's not likely. Of course you could lie about that, not that I am recommending it - but just saying.

[disneysteve]

I'm wondering if there is still the time shares out there, where you listen to a hard sell for 2 hrs and then stay in their rooms for free and maybe get free or discounted tickets.

Yes, they're still out there, but don't do it! Don't ruin your vacation dealing with those morons. Two hours or more of being lied to, insulted, cheated, and harassed isn't worth a couple of free tickets or meal vouchers.

If you want to stay in a cheap timeshare, there are ways to do that. A site like skyauction.com rents out unused timeshare units. We've done that numerous times and have spent as little as $37/nite for a beautiful 2-bedroom, 2-bath unit just 5 minutes from Disney property (I actually timed the drive from our unit to Animal Kingdom at 4-1/2 minutes).

[FLA]

. A site like skyauction.com rents out unused timeshare units. We've done that numerous times and have spent as little as $37/nite for a beautiful 2-bedroom, 2-bath unit just 5 minutes from Disney property (I actually timed the drive from our unit to Animal Kingdom at 4-1/2 minutes).

never heard of this

I've done the timeshare spiel before, life is too short and if they look at my income, yeah, they probably wouldn't pick me

[FLA]

. if you are concerned about the sun (as you should) buy some "golf sleeves". I have taken them my last 5 trips to Florida, and they are great. They cover my arms from near the shoulder to wrists. They are much cooler in the sun than being bare with sun screen on. And I never have a bit of sun burn as they have UV protection..

I am very fair skinned with a family history of melanoma so thanks for telling me about these, I've never seen them.