Booking our trip and keeping it CHEAP

[tammyjeanm]

I have never been to Disney and we are planning a trip for our 10yr Wedding Anniversary. Here are some of my questions and I appreciate any helpful info I can get. TIA.

Our trip is planned for Oct 15-22. Just my DH and I going. We are coming from Michigan and would like to stop in Bowling Green, KY for the corvette museum towards the end of our trip. We are considering driving down and back if we can borrow my mom's car for good gas mileage. We have also considered renting a car but find it a bit too expensive. So then I have considered flying down and renting a car for the trip home. I also thought of flying down to Disney, then flying to the corvette museum on the way home, but then renting a car for the trip from KY to MI. I am trying to find the cheapest possible way. Any suggestions on the travel?

I am obsessing over this trip as I am so excited to go. How early should I book our hotel and buy our tickets?

We are trying to make this trip on a poor man's budget so I figured we would stay offsite because $100 a night is not feasible on our budget. We don't mind motel/hotel type of places as long as they are clean and safe, o...and smell decent. We don't intend on spending much time in our room at all so as along as we have a place to sleep and a nice hot shower we don't mind. I prefer to stay somewhere in the price range of $40 a night. Any suggestions on this topic?

As far as food goes, we planned on visiting the grocery stores and hitting buffet restuarants, or fast food with the exception of a few nice dinners. Any suggestions on a romantic dinner for our Anniversary night? I am leaving the price for this dinner budget completely open...after all...it is the point of this trip.

We plan to make this trip as affordable as possible....Any help and suggestions are appreciated.
TIA

 

[Aliceacc]

Hi and welcome!

I started this thread for other newbies... there may be something there you can use :http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1715551

As to when to book, I would say as soon as possible. We booked our trip for this August last August.

If you're not already AAA members, consider joining. That would be a good idea for anyone driving anyway, but AAA also offers discounts on lots of things, including Disney rooms.

As to on or off site, take a look at the "Value" resorts at http://www.allears.net/acc/faq_hot.htm
(There are fact sheets and slide shows on each of the 4 values on the left hand side.) They're on Disney property, so they offer all the perks that come with that. But their rates start at $82 per night. Deduct the AAA discount, and you should be talking ballpark $65.60.

 

[colonialtinker]

Hi and
If your planning on flying start looking for cheap rates now. I booked tickets for our flight in June and got $65.00 each way. To drive if cost us over $250.00 in December, plus took 12 hours. Finding the cheap ticks was time consuming but worth it. I started checking the airports around where I live. There are 3 within a 2 hour ride. Once at the airports sites I just clicked on the airlines logo and went to their home pages and entered the dates I wanted to go. Once I found the fares from the airlines I checked Orbitz, Expedia etc. It was cheaper for me to book from the airline! Doesn't always happen that way.
My room I rented points from a DVC member. Got a real good deal here and am staying at OKW in June. I have stayed at several off site motels but DH and I prefer staying at Disney and using their ME.
I checked out all the on site restaurants and the threads here. Everything involved lots of . I made my ADR's at the 160 days out and had to settled for a few odd times. The most popular restaurants book quickly, so try to make your ressies's at the 180 day window.
My DH thinks I'm for doing this much research and planning, but its my dollar and I'm going to stretch it as far as I can
Good luck!!

 

[Dis Fan Dad]

Aliceacc is bang on about considering the value resorts, when you factor in the convenience of staying on-site with all your park transportation provided, it really is the way to go IMO. Remember to factor in what you will be spending to park at the theme parks, ( $11 a day I think) and you just might find that both options come out very close in price.

I think for your first time to Disney, and something as special as your 10th Anniversary you should be right in the middle of the "Magic". Again just my Oppinion. Whatever you decide, have a great trip and try to save a little "Magic " for us, we will be there just after you. Oct 27th - Nov 3rd, All Star Music, Here We Come!

 

[Aliceacc]

Aliceacc is bang on about considering the value resorts, when you factor in the convenience of staying on-site with all your park transportation provided, it really is the way to go IMO. Remember to factor in what you will be spending to park at the theme parks, ( $11 a day I think) and you just might find that both options come out very close in price.

I think for your first time to Disney, and something as special as your 10th Anniversary you should be right in the middle of the "Magic". Again just my Oppinion. Whatever you decide, have a great trip and try to save a little "Magic " for us, we will be there just after you. Oct 27th - Nov 3rd, All Star Music, Here We Come!

Thanks!!

Other benefits of being on site:
- Disney's Magical Express-- they'll get you and your bags to and from the airport for free.
- EMH-- Extended Magic Hours: The parks open early and stay open late, on a rotation schedule, for guests staying at any of the on-site resorts.
- More frequent transporation. The shuttles run all day, not at regularly scheuled breaks as some of the off site motels offer.

 

[Dis Fan Dad]

I'm always on side for someone reccomending On-Site.

 

[abish19]

Congratulations on your anniversary trip!

We also live in MI and have driven to WDW. It's not such a bad drive; we enjoy it because it gives us two uninterrupted days together as a family. Plus, we have our van when we get there. We stayed onsite at POR, but if you decide to drive and you already have transportation, you could keep it cheap by staying off-site. There are MANY nice hotels in the Kissimmee area that go for about $50 a night, including continental breakfast in the morning.

That being said, staying onsite has a certain "feel" to it that can't be gotten any other way. I think that for me, if I can afford it, we'll always stay on-site.

Once you make your decision about driving or flying, then you can go from there. If you're flying, definitely stay at the Value resorts, as your transportation is provided from the airport and around WDW. Driving gives you the on-site, off-site option.

Food can be expensive, but unless you're big eaters or pretty hungry, it's reasonable to share some of your counter service meals.

I hear Narcoossee's at the Grand Floridian is wonderful for anniversary meals. A good friend just got engaged there...very magical.

Keep posting your questions on these boards. The people (not me!) that answer them have SO MUCH information, it's incredible!

 

[Tanzanite]

Hi What is the rate per night at the Polonesian with 3 kids as i know some of the rooms sleep 4 at some of the hotels.

 

[Aliceacc]

Hi What is the rate per night at the Polonesian with 3 kids as i know some of the rooms sleep 4 at some of the hotels.

We're going in August. I think the least expensive rooms are $340. Factor the AAA discount and it drops to $306 per night.

And I'm guessing you had a typo-- the Poly will sleep up to 5.

For something a little less pricey, consider the Contemporary(which will also accomodate up to 5) . Their $270 per night drops to $243 with the AAA discount.

 

[Seahunt]

Can you make your trip in September instead of October? The last few years in April Disney has offered a "Free Dining" package for stays in Aug/Sept, and if they do that again this year you could book a stay at a Value resort (on site) AND have all your meals for free.

 

[tonyhoop]

Stay onsite!!! It much more relaxing and time-saving considering commuting time. Have a good trip whatever yall decide.

 

[tammyjeanm]

Thank you everyone for all the wonderful feedback. All the links to read were very helpful as well. We made the decision to drive down and back with stopping at the corvette museum on the way home. I like the thought of staying within Disney, so I think I will do some more research on trying to find the lowest rate possible for this. Also, I had considered moving our dates to accomodate a discount or possible free dining, but I would much rather share a magical moment under the sky filled with fireworks with my husband the day of our anniversary which is the 17th of October. Also, he as already put in for his time off so I think it's best to let be.

I going to keep digging and planning because as we know time does fly and before we know it we will be at WDW!!

Thank you ALL again.

 

[Cdnmommy]

Happy early anniversary! Hope you have a magical one!

 

[RNtheRN]

Can you make your trip in September instead of October? The last few years in April Disney has offered a "Free Dining" package for stays in Aug/Sept, and if they do that again this year you could book a stay at a Value resort (on site) AND have all your meals for free.

Great advice.

 

[jenseib]

I would try to stay onsite too, but you can probably do offsite fairly chepa if you really look. I think you are really going to spend alot for driving down. Plus paying for parking each day. But if you stay onsite you don't have to pay for parking. I would also see if the dining plan would fit in your budget. Y oucan eat at some nice places and not worry to much about how much you are spening on food since it was paid for before you even got there. We do that now, and eat character meals, and other places we have wanted to try with no worries. These boards are really great. and will help you ALOT. Also consider joing a photopass share group. The take pictures of you in the park, and then put them on a CD, but thye are pricey. If you join a group of people going at th same time as you you can split the cost. You find those on the budget board.

 

[collcass]

htere are a bunch of incentives for utilizing the online booking system. DOn't remember exactly what they were, but worth it to check them out. Also, you can pay for the package with Disney over the course of time.

 

[KNovacovschi]

Thank you everyone for all the wonderful feedback. All the links to read were very helpful as well. We made the decision to drive down and back with stopping at the corvette museum on the way home. I like the thought of staying within Disney, so I think I will do some more research on trying to find the lowest rate possible for this. Also, I had considered moving our dates to accomodate a discount or possible free dining, but I would much rather share a magical moment under the sky filled with fireworks with my husband the day of our anniversary which is the 17th of October. Also, he as already put in for his time off so I think it's best to let be.

I going to keep digging and planning because as we know time does fly and before we know it we will be at WDW!!

Thank you ALL again.

Congratulations on your 10 year anniversary...you have chosen a great place to celebrate it and enjoy yourselves...just so you know when we did Disney last year we did it on a poor mans budget as well and were able to enjoy ourselves tremendously...

 

[tammyjeanm]

More great ideas. Thank you so much. I am still keeping my eye out on good onsite deals and offsite. I'm noticing the savings come as you get closer to your travel date. Love the feedback and tyvm again.