How to do disney on a budget with 6?

[onceuponadream]

We would love to suprise our kids with a trip to Disney over Christmas. We are members of DC and plan ro be AP holders (so we can return next year) and we have an Am Ex card. Any ideas on how to decrease lodging price (as we are required to get 2 rooms) or food prices (our kids are 3,6,8,11)? The All Star rooms are booked according to the DC line so they are not an option this trip. Thanks for any ideas!

 

[Falls1]

Call disney and book through your AM card
you get a 20% discount if you stay on property, Also check with.Dreams unlimited they still
had some packages avalible, My son and his wife are going for Christmas and they booked through
Dreams. Last year they just kept calling and
finally around the last of Sept they got rooms
at All Star Sports, for christmas and New Year Eve..So keep calling until it gets to late to
get every thing together.. Also if you have a
relative who has AAA get them to book for you
my AAA still has packages for christmas..Try and try some more My son said his DW called every day
amd sometimes twice a day..

 

[momofdbsdc]

We are a family of 7. Instead of getting 2 rooms we decided to stay offsite at HIFS. I also am using my DC and AAA discounts wherever I can. (I just bought our hopper tickets today! YEAH!)

Have a great trip!
Kim

 

[tink2dw]

I would beat the Cost with www.MouseSavers.com offsite hotel deals on either Holiday Inn Family Suites[http://www.mousesavers.com/hifs.html and http://www.hifamilysuites.com/index.html?] or with the Caribe Royale Suites[http://www.mousesavers.com/cariberoyale.html].

Both of these hotels are Family Friendly But are so Close to WDW they are practically onsite!!

HIFS- The unique 485-square-foot Kidsuites offer a themed room with bunk beds or twin beds. The 2-bedroom Kidsuites can accommodate up to 7 people. Plus!!Every guest at HIFS gets a FREE breakfast buffet, plus kids eat FREE at all meals when accompanied by a paying adult (limited hours).

Caribe Royale-- offers two types of accommodations: suites and villas. Suites sleep up to 6 people (maximum of 4 adults 13 and
up) in the queen bed version, or up to 4 in the king bed version.

I hpoe this helps you get an upscale Resort!!

For more info on these Hotels check out the Orlando Hotels and Attractions Board!!
http://www.disboards.com/forumdisplay.php?s=&forumid=15

Ohhhh,Also I just remembered this great place
The Tropical Palms Fun Resort --[http://www.tropicalpalms.com/vacation-cottages.aspx]- Sleeps up to 4 Adults & 4 Children
Superbly appointed 2 bedroom cottages provide privacy and fun in a tropical setting and sleep up to 4 adults and 4 children. Sleeping Loft for Kids, Fully equiped kitchen, Full Bath,Private Deck,Living & Dining Room,Refrigerator and Dishwasher,Microwave & Range,Color TV
http://www.tropicalpalms.com/vacation-cottages.aspx

I hope this helps you get a great upscale Resort for your family at a great price!!

 

[mark & sandra]

Hello onceuponadream- We stayed at the Holiday Inn Family Suites (HIFS) twice in the past because of our larger group. You can request a Kidsuite, separate locking master bedroom, kids room with bunkbeds and small trundle bed (good size for a 3 year old) a queensize pull out couch in the living room. 3 large color T.V.s, nintendo in kids room. It also has a small kitchenette area ( fridge,microwave,coffee maker) Breakfast buffet is huge and free for all, my DH would go early and bring back food for all. He even brought back some travel food for snacking later. Kids eat free with adult for lunch and/or dinner.We all ate huge amounts and paid almost nothing for our entire trip.Those were savings (they have a special now for 109.00 per night, it includes 2 adult dinner buffets a night) or 95.00 for advance booking, no buffets included. Huge fun pool, 2 hottubs, plenty of games for kids in daytime, if you'll be there. Night time bingo, dancing and kareoke. The hotel is at most a 5 minute drive to disney gates, and they do provide a free shuttle(you ask for tickets the day before) With your AP's you can park free at Disney and use Disney transportation to get around if you'd like.

 

[onceuponadream]

Thanks all!

I will look into the Am Ex rate tomorrow. How do I find out about the AAA rate? Is that through CRO or AAA directly? Anyone know how much it is to join? I called HIFS and they quoted a rate of $154/night (including tax). I also tried Courtyard by Marriott for the $29/nt rate but it's only good the first 3 days of my trip. Is HIFS worth the $154 a night vs $188 to stay on site in 2 POR rooms? I can get BW maingate East for $53/night...haven't heard anything about them or shuttle service/cleanliness etc.. I'll make my phone calls tomorrow and let you know what I find out! Thanks so much for all your help.

 

[CdnMom2]

Remember at HIFS you also get the FREE breakfast buffet for all of you & the kids eat free (some restrictions) during day. In my mind this outweighs staying on-site for your family. We are also a family of 6 (5, 8, 9 and 13 years) and I have not yet been to HIFS or stayed on-site, but you should search on this board a bit about HIFS and I think you'll see it worth the difference you quoted.

Also seems to be lots of other fun kiddie stuff there. I do think it beats 2 rooms at All-Stars. Just my somewhat uninformed (haven't been to either!) 2 cents. Have a great trip whatever you choose.

 

[4greatboys]

Hey Once we are neighbors, I live in Pearland (Go Oilers!!). We are a family of 6 also, you should check expedia. We got a good rate for our Sept stay and they had good deals on the Wilderness Cabins. You should check them out. We could have gotten a better deal staying off site but we didnt want to rent a van (and 2 car seats) and the shuttles at the off site hotels dont run all the time, only certain times. Also those hotels like HI that offer free stuff often have a catch. When I called them we could have a free breakfast buffet--everyone except my 14 yr old and the kids eat free times were from 9am-5pm. We would hardly ever be at the hotel at that time so that would not have been a benefit to us. Also check out the the DVC boards, some ppl rent out their points and you could get a 2 bdrm and be on site.

 

[tink2dw]

The other thing you will need to remember is that you are going at the MOST Expensive time of year!!

 

[spottydog1]

OnceUpon, We also are a family of 6. We have stayed at FW in the cabins. It fit our needs perfectly. The bedroom has a double bed & bunk beds. The living room has a murphy bed - a real mattress on a platform bed that folds down from the wall. With a full kitchen, meals could be easily prepared throughout our stay, saving quite a bit. Hope this info helps!

 

[onceuponadream]

Hi spottydog! How "wilderness like" are the cabins? We are not very outdoorsy and my idea of camping is a hotel in the mountains with a shower I realize there is plumbing but how rustic are the cabins (bugs, animals etc)? Thanks!

 

[momofdbsdc]

Hi Onceuponadream,

The first 5 times I called HIFS, I got the rate of $146. I called back again, and asked the woman for the very best rate that she could give me for the nights that I needed, and she gave me the rate of $102. Then I found the internet special on mousesavers and called the hotel and they then gave me that rate. Sometimes, I think it just depends on who you speak with.

I hope that this helps!
Kim
momofdbsdc

 

[tiggerwannabe]

I swear by Burnbaum's official guides to WDW.

Mousesavers.com can get you an excellent price on the Birnbaum guides. I buy the Adult version for me and the Kids get their own (made by kids). The mousavers connection was offering an excellent price if you get both books together.
Birnbaum's has tips and info on everything!

Also, call guest relations at WDW and ask about their AMEX rates. AMEX cardholders get many bonuses...including great hotel packages and front row seating on the lagoon at Epcot for the fireworks show.

If you want to stay offsite (and maybe willing to take a tour), try places like summerbayresorts.com. They have condos that can sleep up to 12 people together. See Also: OrangeLake.com. These places are on Rt 192, about 4 miles and 1 turn from WDW gates. Sea World and Universal are about a 10 minute ride away. If you don't have a car, these places do offer buses to the parks.

Check 'em out...

 

[ShariB]

The FW cabins have an "outdoorsy feel" to them but are anything but! We have stayed there twice (we are also a family of 6) and I can't imagine staying aywhere else (realistically, although I yearn for the Poly!). The cabins are great with a larger family. We ate breakfast almost every morning there and often came back to dinner (done in the crockpot or the time-bake oven) too. I grew up camping but my DH is NOT a camper. We joke that his idea of camping is staying in a Motel 6 instead of a Holiday Inn! We all love the FW cabins.

 

[carone0318]

You could look on the Rent/Trade board and possibly rent from a DVC member. This way you could probably get a 2-bdrm and only need one room. It would also come with a full kitchen, that could help with meals - breakfast especially and also a washer & dryer. Most DVCers rent points at about $10 a point. I am not a 100% percent how it works, but go into the DVC forum and find out, it could save you money. I am a DVCer but I've never rented out, so I can't help....sorry! What I can tell you though is that S-Th nights are less points than F & Sat. If you could find someone to work with you, S - Th based on points would run you about $1500 for 2 bdrm at BWV, BCV, VWL - OKW would be about $1100. It is definitely worth a look.

Good luck!

 

[mar3990]

Call for a price quote at Calypso Cay. We are a family of six and stayed comfortably in the 900 plus square feet of a two bedroom apartment(Runaway Bay). Price when we went was $69 a night with no time share presentation. Free breakfast also included at hotels across the street(1 block, easy drive or walk). We have stayed at the HIFS in the past and although I would stay there again if the price was right this was much more space and a better deal.

 

[AKASnowWhite]

We have stayed at the cabins twice (family of 5.....) and I can't say enough wonderful things about them. I am NOT a camper - my idea of *roughing* it is the Motel 6....ack!

Remember...this is DISNEY! The cabins have full housekeeping services....they even ran the dishwasher for us! They were as neat, clean and well maintained as you would expect from Disney...and you have your own personal parking space just STEPS from your door! Perfect for a tired family at the end of a long day...

Honestly, I don't know how the cost would compare to HIFS...but as previously noted, check the *fine print*. I have friends who have stayed there (family of 6) and LOVED it, and are going back this Nov. I think they ate the free breakfast in the a.m., snacked a bit while at the parks, and returned to the hotel for a break eating a rather late lunch/early dinner to take advantage of the kids-eat-free deal. It worked for them....

 

[funhouse8]

Hi we are a family of six and have stayed at both the HIFS and cabins. IMHO we loved them both. The cabins however were twice as much money and you had to make your own breakfast. the thing that amazed us the most was how close the HIFS were to the parks. We rented a car and were the first in line at every park because they were so easy to get to. We were worried we would lose some of the magic but this was never an issue. Good luck you will have a great time were ever you decide.

 

[Deb & Bill]

This late in the game you should forget about renting points from a DVC member. Christmas is a popular time and right now you might be able to get on a waiting list, but might not even get on a waiting list. You might be able to rent points in January for Christmas 2003.