Budget Trip- What would you do- 2 adults only

[toledo13]

We're trying to be as budget as possible for our next trip (of course!). Does it make more sense to go a shorter amount of days and park hop, or go a longer time and not hop?

We're probably not going to stay onsite--

So, we'll need to factor in flights, car rental, hotel prices, food (eating mostly outside the parks- one meal inside each day), parking, etc...

We'll want to ride most of the rides in all 4 parks, not going to waterparks.

The last few trips we've stayed at the swan, rented a car but used disney transport (except to airport of course).

What do you think? More days and not hop, or less days and hop??

 

[Darcy03231]

With two adults I would go during free dining, stay on-site in a value and not park hop. I beleive to take advantage of free dining you have to stay at least three nights. I would take the earliest flight in and the latest flight out to maximize my time. By staying on-site you don't need to rent a car, just use ME and WDW transportation.

 

[nowellsl]

With two adults I would go during free dining, stay on-site in a value and not park hop. I beleive to take advantage of free dining you have to stay at least three nights. I would take the earliest flight in and the latest flight out to maximize my time. By staying on-site you don't need to rent a car, just use ME and WDW transportation.

This is what we've done for the last 3 years! Gotta love free dining!

 

[C.Ann]

I like to "hop" because there's more flexibility with the 4 parks closing at different times each day..

 

[Brer Shay]

With two adults I would go during free dining, stay on-site in a value and not park hop. I beleive to take advantage of free dining you have to stay at least three nights. I would take the earliest flight in and the latest flight out to maximize my time. By staying on-site you don't need to rent a car, just use ME and WDW transportation.

I completely agree. If you can't go in that timeframe for some reason, I would still try to go in an "off-season" and not park hop. We find it pretty easy not to spend to much on food, but factor in the cost of car rental, gas and parking in addition to paying for a hotel, and you'r probably about equal to staying onsite. If you have free accomdations somewhere already, that's different, but the mental benefits of staying onsite really keep you in vacation mode for the entire time. Straight dollar differences are minimal.

 

[haveitall]

We are going for 14 days staying at POP and we upgraded to Deluxe Dining during free dining. We will pay $32.00 each per day for the deluxe dining. We also have 10 day park hopper passes.

We are paying around 2,700.

We still need to get airfare which will be another 600.00.

I can't wait to go.

In 2006 we went for 10 days, paid for dining had 10 day park hopper pass and stayed at ASMU. We paid about the same for our trip.

Much better deal this time.

Sylvia in MN

 

[lgruender]

I would stay longer without the hopper. When you look at the price do you think paying extra for the hopper is worth it. We usually get the hopper but this year we are doing without in order to have extra days.

 

[ncbyrne]

Stay longer and don't hop! I have found on past trips, that if we pay the $ for the hopping priviledge, we feel obligated to hop, even when we are content to stay put! We will never buy hoppers again, on budget trips or otherwise.

 

[lmillercrew]

We won't NOT do a hopper pass. But, if you can definately go when it's free dining. Stay at a value resort and I bet for 5-6 days, your total for tickets and room won't be more than $1200. But, it all comes down to what you can afford to do.

 

[pyrxtc]

I would say don't hop but nly stay as long as you are comfortable. My family does not usually hop. We find it easier just to end a park with their hours (we get there at opening and leave at closing). Whatever time is left at the end of the night, if any, is spent just together or swimming or something.

My DH spent 3 days alone down there last May (2007) and didn't hop but had a blast just being together. We closed th parks and went to bed early! If it was just a friend, then we could finish off the night at DTD.

I would stay onsite, one of the All Star hotels would be as cheap as onsite and car rental and such. Then you have transport to everywhere and can go party and be safe driving home.

 

[Taja]

Onsite value resort, if possible. Hopper option is about $45 per person, which would be $90 for two people. If you eliminated the hopper option and could stay for for a few more days (base ticket probably isn't much more for each additional day over 5 days), it would leverage your airfare costs a bit.

If you have a rental car, you could go shopping offsite and pick up breakfast, snacks and drinks to keep in your room (and a styro cooler--not green, but convenient!). Depending on the cost, you could rent it at the beginning of your visit, then use DME to return to MCO. Sometimes it's less expensive per day for a week then for a shorter period of time. Just something else to consider!

Or you could use DME both ways and use a grocery service. More expensive than shopping yourself, but could be less expensive then renting a car. Garden grocer has a minimum, but I don't think wegoshop does. But I believe wegoshop's fees might be higher. Check both websites.

And travel during WDW value season to get the best room prices. Do you belong to AAA? Ask if AAA discount is available for the dates you're planning to travel.

 

[justplaingoofy]

we're going during Sept. free dining...

2 adults, value resort, 7 day park base tickets $1,024.74

If you can go during Sept. for free dining you could save quite a bit of $ because your food is included as well as transportation to/from airport, etc.. basically everything but souvenEARs..

If you cannot go, I would go for a longer time without the parkhopper..

 

[rockyroad]

If I was staying on property, especially if I had free dining, I would pick a day in the middle for a "hotel day".

I would try to hit the parks on midweek days (Tues, Wed, Thurs) and choose a day (especially after a late EMH) to sleep in, use the resort pool, relax, and maybe do some non-park things...look at some of the resorts, go to DTD. This would give a chance to rest and relax and extend the park tickets a bit too.

 

[musclemouse]

Hubs and I went back in 1998. So long ago

I don't recall how much we spent (sorry, that probably doesn't help). A lot of these ideas are great!

We are going during value times (Early December). We are staying at Pop (value resort). Honestly - how much time are you actually spending in the hotel?

The more days you buy tickets the cheaper it becomes (not that much of a difference if you do it this way). We had purchased for 4 parks and we spent the whole 3rd day exploring Disney (just taking it easy).

We didn't do the water parks but we did do Disney Quest. If you decide to do Quest I would buy tickets in advance instead of at the gate. Actually do this for all the parks you choose. Makes a big difference.

I agree! Stay on Disney grounds. You don't have to drive anywhere on grounds. Makes it so much easier and more relaxing. Entertaining too!

From what I remember they have free donuts/bagels and fruit for the morning breakfast? I don't know if they still do this or not. I think it's over where you would pick up the buses for the parks. Anyway...or think about keeping food in your room for breakfast/snacks. i.e. instant oatmeal...

 

[figgy4me]

All of our trips are budget. We always buy 10 day passes and keep the extras -- we know we are going back.

I just got a condo for 7 nights for @291 @ skyauction.com . I have seen plenty that were probably $50 or so cheaper since. Usually with this, we get a 2 bedroom sleeping 6-8 people. Have gotten hotel rooms on hotwire and hotelsusa for cheap prices.

Yes, we will have to pay parking and have a car. You can get shuttles from most motels/condos, but we only tried that once - had a bad experience.

We usually eat a big buffet breakfast and supper offsite. With the condo I usually fix coffee each day and cook some eggs and bacon 2-4 days. Probably have cold cuts a couple of nights, too. May take cheez-it and cashews in ziplock snack bags. Sometimes eat counter service or ice cream or popcorn @ Disney.

 

[mountdew1]

Well, from a pure cost standpoint, it depends on how long you think you would take to do everything you want. If you want to do all the rides in all 4 parks, the hopper won't do you that much good. The hour or so you lose each day is offset by the extra day. (45 per hopper, plus the ~2 bucks per extra day) This is assuming you would go for 4 days. If you can do the free dining, it definitely makes staying on property more affordable, and probably a much better option. The extra night at the value is 82 before tax, so probably about 98 after tax. But not having to pay for food or a rental car every day of your trip almost makes that extra day free. Even if you found a good hotel for $50 off site, add in 20 for the car rental, 11 for parking, and a few bucks for gas, and you are paying almost as much as the onsite value. So you end up saving whatever you would spend on food by doing the free dining.
Free dining even makes a 4th day about the same as a 3 day trip w/o free dining and no hopper.

 

[T. Lynn]

What is deluxe dining option?

 

[trivial]

No question -- stay longer and don't get hoppers. And instead of renting a car and staying off-site, stay on-site. If you don't mind spending a bit more for a much nicer room (compared to a value resort), rent DVC points and stay in a Deluxe Villa studio.

 

[luvsmickeymouse]

With two adults I would go during free dining, stay on-site in a value and not park hop. I beleive to take advantage of free dining you have to stay at least three nights. I would take the earliest flight in and the latest flight out to maximize my time. By staying on-site you don't need to rent a car, just use ME and WDW transportation.

Here is what we do. Even without free dining, we stay onsite at a value, do not park hop, and no car rental. I always take the earliest flight out and the latest one home.