Disney on a budget

[brendak]

What's the best way to do Disneyland on a budget? Any tips?

We're planning our trip for September (although we are very flexible so if something outstanding came up in the Spring we could switch to that instead)

I've checked some good neighbor hotels (I'm limiting my search to the ones along S. Harbor Blvd so we can walk right over to the park) and the cheapest I've found so far is $63 a night for 6 nights. The cheapest I've found park-hopper tickets for is 5 day passes for $194 per person and $164 for my youngest. That's a total of about $1300 plus airfare for a family of 4.

Is this about as cheap as I can find...are there any discount sites out there that I don't know about?

Help, we've never been before and I'm trying to find the best deals possible but I'm not sure I know where to look.

 

[disney-super-mom]

Hi Brendak, welcome to the DisBoards.

You posted this question on the Walt Disney World Resorts board, and I think this would be much better answered on the Disneyland board, but I'll try to help you out since I'm a Disneyland vet.

First of all, $1300 plus airfare really is about as low as it's going to get. What hotel did you get for $63 per night? I'm only asking to make sure it's a decent hotel/motel.

One nice hotel that, at times, offers a great Entertainment Book discount, is the Howard Johnson. It's also on Harbor, and it's about a 7-10 minute walk to the front gates of the parks. It also has two great pools, hot tub, a zero entry kids pool, and a little water-splash play area. If you happen to buy an Entertainment book for your area, then you can qualify for the discount, as long as you have the little card that comes with the book when you check in. To check and see if an Entertainment rate is available for your dates, just go to their website and use the code Sd50. If one isn't available, keep checking back because they can become available at anytime.

http://www.hojoanaheim.com/

Hope you all have a wonderful time!

 

[myAAbatteries&aTD]

Subscribing b/c we really want to go back over Christmas and it will have to be on a budget since we're going to WDW this summer..... last time we went it was very last minute and we have a wonderful time. I just want to have everything planned better this time and not have to spend a fortune....

 

[Zoemakes5]

If you're able to go during the spring, try calling the HoJo and see when they have their Entertainment rate (which has been running about $59), and then take advantage of the buy 3 or more days and get two days free. That will reduce the cost a bit. It's only good through 4/24 (though that can be the first day of use, I think), but it's a nice discount. 5 day passes with that deal are only 169/139.

 

[serino4disney]

What's the best way to do Disneyland on a budget? Any tips?

We're planning our trip for September (although we are very flexible so if something outstanding came up in the Spring we could switch to that instead)

I've checked some good neighbor hotels (I'm limiting my search to the ones along S. Harbor Blvd so we can walk right over to the park) and the cheapest I've found so far is $63 a night for 6 nights. The cheapest I've found park-hopper tickets for is 5 day passes for $194 per person and $164 for my youngest. That's a total of about $1300 plus airfare for a family of 4.

Is this about as cheap as I can find...are there any discount sites out there that I don't know about?

Help, we've never been before and I'm trying to find the best deals possible but I'm not sure I know where to look.

One thing I advise against is going completely low budget for the room. We go every year for Thanksgiving and on our last trip we were trying to also "budget." So, I booked a room at the Days Inn. Usually we don't care too much about the room cuz you're not there for the room, right... However, this was the absolute WORST hotel experience I have ever encountered in my entire life!!!!! Usually we use stay at the Best Western or Fairfield Inn right across from the park. After last year we have decided to stay from now on at the Sheraton Anaheim Hotel. They are a little more expensive but have AMAZING service. Hope this helps...

 

[DLR29]

To save money on food we always bring muffins or cereal or something, store it in a cooler or refridgerator, and eat breakfast in the hotel room or in line waiting for the park to open. Also if you want, you can bring sandwich making items, make sandwiches before you leave for the parks, take a cooler, and eat sandwiches for lunch. Then you really only have to pay for one meal a day.

 

[ter-moo]

Check with Ares Travel (http://arestravel.com/77_ticket-lis...goryID=&imagesubmit1.x=254&imagesubmit1.y=219) to see if you can get your park hoppers for a bit cheaper. You order them on line and then pick them up at the DL ticket booth the first day you're there.

We got our tickets about $5 cheaper than the DL website that way. Not a HUGE savings, but multipled by a few tickets, it's SOMETHING.

Also, check the hotel websites for special internet rates which sometimes come up around slow times, and CALL the hotels directly to see if they'll wheel and deal with you.

 

[kuusimo]

Mousesavers.com is also a great place to get saving tips!

 

[Husker Mickey]

We always do DL on a budget. We have booked through getawaytoday.com every time and have been very pleased. We stay across the street. Our choice is the Fairfied. There is a McDonalds on the way to and from the parks for those inexpensive meals. Plan on taking snacks in the park in a backpack, i.e. granola bars, trail mix. Food prices in the parks are expensive. Also, we take your own water. We get a room with a frig and always go to the convience store and buy a gallon water and tote a couple of 20oz bottles into the parks.
Make sure you check airlines on their own website after you look at comparable prices on travelocity or any other discount travel sites. We always go to the airline website to see if we can get a better deal, and almost always we do. Good luck planning!!!

 

[Leofoenget]

What's the best way to do Disneyland on a budget? Any tips?

We're planning our trip for September (although we are very flexible so if something outstanding came up in the Spring we could switch to that instead)

I've checked some good neighbor hotels (I'm limiting my search to the ones along S. Harbor Blvd so we can walk right over to the park) and the cheapest I've found so far is $63 a night for 6 nights. The cheapest I've found park-hopper tickets for is 5 day passes for $194 per person and $164 for my youngest. That's a total of about $1300 plus airfare for a family of 4.

Is this about as cheap as I can find...are there any discount sites out there that I don't know about?

Help, we've never been before and I'm trying to find the best deals possible but I'm not sure I know where to look.

Not sure what hotel you are looking at but I know Anaheim Plaza is dirt cheap. I checked for next week and a room is as low as $49! Thats good. Yah once you have to add in tickets and plane tickets thats probably about as cheapo as you can get. I guess you could consider driving but not sure where you live so if you live back east or something not possible.

 

[DSNY4ever]

I am not sure where you will be flying from, but Alaska Airlines often has some good package deals that include flight and hotel. I agree with eating breakfast in your room and bringing your own lunch and water into the park, just avoid glass bottles and coolers as those aren't allowed in. When you have dinner keep in mind that you can split things. My husband and I often eat at the Plaza Inn and split a dinner because the portions are big (you can see the plates before you order). Then you have room for a treat later too!

Some good budget hotels that I recommend are-
Carousel Inn and Suites (on S. Harbor directly across the street)
Desert Inn and Suites (on S. Harbor directly across the street)
Anabella (this one is behind Cal Adventure and is a slightly farther walk, but the rooms are a little nicer- good deals found on cheaptickets.com and orbitz- This one also has a Coco's just next door which is good for cheap dinners and less crowded than the restaurants on S. Harbor).

Good luck and have a great time!!

 

[sftnslky]

What's the best way to do Disneyland on a budget? Any tips? That's a total of about $1300 plus airfare for a family of 4.
I'm not sure I know where to look.

HI, I don't know if you have checked but right now Costco has a 'kids fly free' to DL with a paying adult...they also have another 'special' that CAN BE combined with the fly free...the second special is as follows..

Receive a five-day Disneyland® Resort Park Hopper® souvenir ticket for the price of a three-day†† With a minimum four-night stay, receive a $150 Disney Gift Card - (one per package)** AND Stay four nights for the price of three nights‡ Accommodations at a conveniently located Disneyland® Resort Hotel or a Good Neighbor Hotel

AND NEW! For 2008 – Costco members can choose one of these Disneyland® Resort experiences: A three course dinner for two at Disney’s PCH Grill, Storytellers Café or Hook’s Pointe***

OR

Disney Character Breakfast (one per person) AND a $20 Disney Gift Card - (one per package)

Plus, you’ll enjoy these other magical extras:
Mickey’s Toontown Morning Madness††-An interactive Guest and Character Experience in Disneyland® Park
Preferred seating at selected attractions in Disney’s California Adventure® Park
Downtown Disney® District Fun Card – one per package
Exclusive Costco Travel collectible pin, lanyard, and luggage tag – one per person
Collectible Dream Coin – one per package
Magic Morning†

Even if your not a Costco member it would be worth becoming one just for the discounts.... Hope this helps.. Enjoy your Trip

 

[tracer]

We take a lot of our own food and drinks. We pack snacks and lunches for the kids and take about 6 water bottles with us. The water alone saves us so much $$. There are a lot of great recommendations on here from OP that I would take advantage of.

 

[bumbershoot]

Oh, and I know from experience that counter service places will let adults get kid's meals, which are quite filling and much less expensive.

I would imagine you can do that at table service, but I don't have experience in that.

But splitting also works, if both adults have lighter appetites. (Blue Bayou, not that that place is budget at all, does charge around 4 or 5 bucks for a split plate, which gives each person their own pretty plate and salad)

 

[myAAbatteries&aTD]

HI, I don't know if you have checked but right now Costco has a 'kids fly free' to DL with a paying adult...they also have another 'special' that CAN BE combined with the fly free...the second special is as follows..

Receive a five-day Disneyland® Resort Park Hopper® souvenir ticket for the price of a three-day†† With a minimum four-night stay, receive a $150 Disney Gift Card - (one per package)** AND Stay four nights for the price of three nights‡ Accommodations at a conveniently located Disneyland® Resort Hotel or a Good Neighbor Hotel

AND NEW! For 2008 – Costco members can choose one of these Disneyland® Resort experiences: A three course dinner for two at Disney’s PCH Grill, Storytellers Café or Hook’s Pointe***

OR

Disney Character Breakfast (one per person) AND a $20 Disney Gift Card - (one per package)

Plus, you’ll enjoy these other magical extras:
Mickey’s Toontown Morning Madness††-An interactive Guest and Character Experience in Disneyland® Park
Preferred seating at selected attractions in Disney’s California Adventure® Park
Downtown Disney® District Fun Card – one per package
Exclusive Costco Travel collectible pin, lanyard, and luggage tag – one per person
Collectible Dream Coin – one per package
Magic Morning†

Even if your not a Costco member it would be worth becoming one just for the discounts.... Hope this helps.. Enjoy your Trip

Are there certain dates for this special? sounds like it could save us quite a bit of money.....

 

[sftnslky]

Are there certain dates for this special? sounds like it could save us quite a bit of money.....

Hi as for now the dates are Valid for travel 1/7/08 - 6/27/08 Blackout dates may apply, as June gets closer they will probably take the dates out longer. Hope this helps. Have a great trip

 

[DevilDuckie]

Sometimes it is cheaper to stay at a slightly more expensive hotel with a good breakfast.

 

[50sjayne]

Sometimes it is cheaper to stay at a slightly more expensive hotel with a good breakfast.

Or just choose one with a fridge and a microwave without one at all. Seems like most of the ones closer to Disney that have breakfast....it's not very impressive according to most of the comments here. Yuo can bring your own yogurt and such or buy them at one of the grocery stores around there. I guess for people without a car it would be more important though. I don't know if you can get to any of the stores using the ART shuttle or not.