AileenGP
Earning My Ears
- Joined
- Aug 18, 2014
- Messages
- 12
I may not be a disney expert but I am an expert in planning trips on a budget =) and I've been working on our own trip for the Monday after yours.
For the Hotel, there's the Ramada Plaza Anaheim: (2 queen beds and a queen sleeper sofa/free breakfast/refrigerator/free parking): 144/night ($505 total with taxes and fees)
Plus 2 day park hopper tickets ($1085 for 5) - keep in mind Mickey's Halloween Party happens on that Friday (Oct 3) so DL will be closing at 7 - prepare to spend friday night at DCA. Spend the first afternoon at DTD to get into the spirit without having to go into DL itself.
Alternatively, you can do 3 day, 1 park per day tickets for $1130. It may not give you the flexibility of a park hopper, but for an additional 45 dollars, you can spend the first 2 days at DL and 1 day at DCA.
If you have a Target Red Card, what I do is buy the gift cards from there at a 5% discount (This is how I save for Disney - I buy a gift card every pay period or any extra money) and use it for tickets, food, and souvenirs. If you don't want the credit card, you can can get a debit card. This would bring the 2 day park hopper down to to $1030.75 (saving $54) or a 3 day 1 park per day to $1073.50 (less than the cost of a 2 day park hopper).
So $1535.75 is the cheapest I can find for the hotel and 2 day park hopper (all taxes and fees included). But it does include free breakfast, free parking, walking distance to disneyland. Plus with the refrigerator, you can eat meals at the room like someone suggested. Bring snacks/food/water bottles into DCL and DCA.
If budget is really firm, I would suggest considering a 2 day/1 park per day to save an additional $185 ($1350 total including hotel).
Also, if you can adjust your vacation 1 day earlier, to check in Sept 30 and check out Oct 3 and do disney Oct 1/2 (wed/thurs), the Ramada Suites go down to $477.30 total (including fees and taxes). Plus, you'll avoid the heavier crowds on Friday, plus it's also the first day of Gay Days at Disneyland which would increase the crowds.
For the rental cars, it looks to be the $279 (enterprise via expedia) for Oct 1 - Oct 4 from scottsdale (but goes up to $379 if you do Sept 30-Oct3) and $399 (enterprise via expedia) for Sept 30 to Oct 5 from El Paso. That doesn't include gas, or any additional insurance or anything. That being said, I would recommend just renting the car from el paso, especially if you don't want to have the wear and tear on your car.
So with the hotel I noted, & target discount (total with rental car from el paso in parenthesis):
Sept 30-Oct 3 (Avoiding Friday/Gay Days)
2 days/1 park per day: 1,322 ($1,721)
2 day park hopper: 1,508 ($1,907)
3 days/1 park per day: 1,550 ($1,949)
Oct 1-Oct 4
2 days/1 park per day: 1,350 ($1,749)
2 day park hopper: 1,535 ($1,934)
3 days/1 park per day: 1,578 ($1,977)
I did find slightly cheaper hotels nearby, but they were either quite a bit further walking distance (needs ART), had parking fees, and/or didn't have breakfast.
Good luck in planning your trip! It makes me go crosseyed too keeping all the prices and details straight when researching hotels.
For the Hotel, there's the Ramada Plaza Anaheim: (2 queen beds and a queen sleeper sofa/free breakfast/refrigerator/free parking): 144/night ($505 total with taxes and fees)
Plus 2 day park hopper tickets ($1085 for 5) - keep in mind Mickey's Halloween Party happens on that Friday (Oct 3) so DL will be closing at 7 - prepare to spend friday night at DCA. Spend the first afternoon at DTD to get into the spirit without having to go into DL itself.
Alternatively, you can do 3 day, 1 park per day tickets for $1130. It may not give you the flexibility of a park hopper, but for an additional 45 dollars, you can spend the first 2 days at DL and 1 day at DCA.
If you have a Target Red Card, what I do is buy the gift cards from there at a 5% discount (This is how I save for Disney - I buy a gift card every pay period or any extra money) and use it for tickets, food, and souvenirs. If you don't want the credit card, you can can get a debit card. This would bring the 2 day park hopper down to to $1030.75 (saving $54) or a 3 day 1 park per day to $1073.50 (less than the cost of a 2 day park hopper).
So $1535.75 is the cheapest I can find for the hotel and 2 day park hopper (all taxes and fees included). But it does include free breakfast, free parking, walking distance to disneyland. Plus with the refrigerator, you can eat meals at the room like someone suggested. Bring snacks/food/water bottles into DCL and DCA.
If budget is really firm, I would suggest considering a 2 day/1 park per day to save an additional $185 ($1350 total including hotel).
Also, if you can adjust your vacation 1 day earlier, to check in Sept 30 and check out Oct 3 and do disney Oct 1/2 (wed/thurs), the Ramada Suites go down to $477.30 total (including fees and taxes). Plus, you'll avoid the heavier crowds on Friday, plus it's also the first day of Gay Days at Disneyland which would increase the crowds.
For the rental cars, it looks to be the $279 (enterprise via expedia) for Oct 1 - Oct 4 from scottsdale (but goes up to $379 if you do Sept 30-Oct3) and $399 (enterprise via expedia) for Sept 30 to Oct 5 from El Paso. That doesn't include gas, or any additional insurance or anything. That being said, I would recommend just renting the car from el paso, especially if you don't want to have the wear and tear on your car.
So with the hotel I noted, & target discount (total with rental car from el paso in parenthesis):
Sept 30-Oct 3 (Avoiding Friday/Gay Days)
2 days/1 park per day: 1,322 ($1,721)
2 day park hopper: 1,508 ($1,907)
3 days/1 park per day: 1,550 ($1,949)
Oct 1-Oct 4
2 days/1 park per day: 1,350 ($1,749)
2 day park hopper: 1,535 ($1,934)
3 days/1 park per day: 1,578 ($1,977)
I did find slightly cheaper hotels nearby, but they were either quite a bit further walking distance (needs ART), had parking fees, and/or didn't have breakfast.
Good luck in planning your trip! It makes me go crosseyed too keeping all the prices and details straight when researching hotels.