Disney world budget questions!

[rlh75]

I think this is the right place for my questions.

After all....this is the place where people like me talk about our budgeting addictions right?

So I am trying to get in an orlando vacation. Primarily for my 4 year old's fist visit to Disney world.

My oldest has been before, probably at about the same age as my youngest....so he is 11 now...so that was probably about eight years ago.

My MIL was amazing enough to pay for just about everything on that trip...so I want to repay the favor this year.

I am hunting the net...reading all the boards and running dates and numbers constantly to try and get the best deal.

Details of my trip.
Traveling with 3 adults, 1 disney adult, and 1 child.

Looking at dates in the first three weeks of may.
Or possibly the last week of march first week of april.

(Travel Dates Flexible. Just was trying to avoid the high crowd times. I know that march can be higher prices in disney, however, I am getting overly excited and would loved to go ASAP....and oldest's bday is on march 29th so how cool to surprise him by leaving on his bday!)

Anyways....

I would really love to stay onsite at disney. We promised a visit to Universal to the oldest as he is a Harry potter fan. (ok so am I )

Before my post gets to long....and scares everyone away....
My questions are:
Where is the cheapest place to book onsite Disney stay? I have seen posts about Cheaptickets...wondering if anyone used and the advantages/disadvantages of that?

Is it cheaper to book seperate....say hotel on a discount site, and the tickets on a discount site?

I am a couponer...so I am not above skipping around sites and booking things wherever they need done.

At first I was going to bite the bullet, book it all through Disney and live the magic and be done with it.....
but the Budgeter (is that a word?) in me just CAN NOT DO IT!!! LOL!!!

Any help at all is appreciated.

I can give more details if needed, and I am sure I will have more questions!!!

Thank you!!!

 

[SandyinMonterey]

I don't know if I will be of much help because we're DVC members and book thru them. However, I've read many posts on these boards about people waiting for the new Disney offer. I think it's a package deal which would include room, tickets, dining plan and I think airfare in some cases. Also seen that Disney sometimes offers free dining plans but they are usually only offered during off season. I'm sure many will chime in with some excellence advice and tips.

 

[Egdisney]

Matcha and April are probably going to be fairly busy, spring break happens at those times, depending on the school. This year our Spring Break is the 3rd week in March. I have read that the early May is a pretty good time to go bc most schools are still in session. Disney is always busy, you want to choose parks based on crowd calculators that are hopefully accurate. Are you set on staying onsite or would you consider offsite? Do you want to do a lot of character meals or is eating just something you will do to survive? Do you hope to share space or will MIL want her own room?

 

[Marionnette]

I think this is the right place for my questions.
After all....this is the place where people like me talk about our budgeting addictions right?
So I am trying to get in an orlando vacation. Primarily for my 4 year old's fist visit to Disney world.
My oldest has been before, probably at about the same age as my youngest....so he is 11 now...so that was probably about eight years ago.
My MIL was amazing enough to pay for just about everything on that trip...so I want to repay the favor this year.
I am hunting the net...reading all the boards and running dates and numbers constantly to try and get the best deal.
Details of my trip.
Traveling with 3 adults, 1 disney adult, and 1 child.
Looking at dates in the first three weeks of may.
Or possibly the last week of march first week of april.
(Travel Dates Flexible. Just was trying to avoid the high crowd times. I know that march can be higher prices in disney, however, I am getting overly excited and would loved to go ASAP....and oldest's bday is on march 29th so how cool to surprise him by leaving on his bday!)
Anyways....I would really love to stay onsite at disney. We promised a visit to Universal to the oldest as he is a Harry potter fan. (ok so am I )
Before my post gets to long....and scares everyone away....
My questions are:
1. Where is the cheapest place to book onsite Disney stay? 2. I have seen posts about Cheaptickets...wondering if anyone used and the advantages/disadvantages of that?
3. Is it cheaper to book seperate....say hotel on a discount site, and the tickets on a discount site?
I am a couponer...so I am not above skipping around sites and booking things wherever they need done.
At first I was going to bite the bullet, book it all through Disney and live the magic and be done with it.....
but the Budgeter (is that a word?) in me just CAN NOT DO IT!!! LOL!!!
Any help at all is appreciated.
I can give more details if needed, and I am sure I will have more questions!!!
Thank you!!!

1.The absolute cheapest place to stay onsite would be in a tent at FW. If camping isn't your thing, then any of the value resorts would be the most affordable. However, with 3 adults and 2 children, you could can get a single room at POR with a murphy bed and it would cost less than the 2 value rooms or a family suite at a value resort. It would be very crowded, but hey, you asked!

2. I haven't used Cheaptickets but I have used the expedia.uk website to book one night. The savings was significant compared to any other discount I could find. You might want to take a look at that thread. It should still be on the first page here.

3. There is no definitive answer to that. So much depends on a variety of factors. You really need to crunch the numbers for yourself. Sometimes a Disney package is cheaper than pricing out the parts separately. Sometimes not. And while it might be cheaper for me to pay for the parts, it might be cheaper for you to book the same visit as a package.

Go to the Disney website and check the current offers. There is a special package and a room-only discount available to the general public. There is also a PIN code for room discounts that would cover your dates, but that is a targeted offers and is non-transferrable.

 

[Egdisney]

Oops, I can't read!

 

[BelleBeautyandtheBeast]

Check out mousesavers.com for some awesome info on discounts.

Here is their page explaining how to plan a vacation http://www.mousesavers.com/walt-disney-world-vacation-discounts-and-deals/step-by-step-guide-to-planning-a-disney-world-vacation/

With 5 people you will be limited to your choices onsite. Generally speaking, it's cheapest to book two value rooms. You can check for specials in the Walt Disney World website. That is where I have always found the best deals.

http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/special-offers/

Here is some explanation of the current Disney Spring Offer http://www.mousesavers.com/walt-disney-world-vacation-discounts-and-deals/disney-world-vacation-package-discounts/#spring

You can use the crowd calendars at easywdw.com to figure what dates will work best for you.

March crowd calendar http://www.easywdw.com/category/calendar/03-march-2014/
April crowd calendar http://www.easywdw.com/category/calendar/04-april-2014-crowd-calendar/

 

[rlh75]

Oops, I see that you want to stay onsite. I think the least expensive way for 6 to stay on property is 2 rooms at a value, but I could definitely be wrong. We also have 6, but one was under 2 so we were going to stay at POR, my parents were traveling wih us so we switched to CBR for free dining and put a kid with them. Bonnet Creek is very close to Disney and many love staying there. The double beds at CBR were challenging, and I believe the values have them as well. If you stay onsite at Universal you get in earlier and also get free front of the line passes. I *think* I saw that if you buy a certain type of Universal ticket they will pick you up at your Disney resort, but I Could be wrong. Good luck! Planning is half the fun!

Yes, I do want to stay onsite. I originally went in thinking...wherever is cheapest...then feel in love with the idea of being right onsite. I feel in love with the AOA cars suite....but I think I choked back that love due to the price. So I think we can make the POR room work. I mean really we won't be in the room that much.

I really want to do the dining plan...but that is not cost effective for us...I know I can do better with budgeting meals...eating in room for breakfast etc.

I would like to do at least one character dining.

I have read a lot of crowd calendars and see that the first three weeks of may is low crowd levels as well. In my head I know that we should go the week of 5/11.....it is just my inner kids getting excited and wanting to go NOW that makes me want to go ASAP. March is out....crowds are high. April is out except that first week due to crowds....but SIGH..........I WANNA GO NOW!!!!
Prices during that time are pretty high to....so I know what I gotta do.

I looked at staying onsite at universal...getting the front of the line thing and extra hours seems pretty huge. I just can't shake that I wanna stay at Disney thing. UGH!!!!!!

 

[rlh75]

1.The absolute cheapest place to stay onsite would be in a tent at FW. If camping isn't your thing, then any of the value resorts would be the most affordable. However, with 3 adults and 2 children, you could can get a single room at POR with a murphy bed and it would cost less than the 2 value rooms or a family suite at a value resort. It would be very crowded, but hey, you asked!

2. I haven't used Cheaptickets but I have used the expedia.uk website to book one night. The savings was significant compared to any other discount I could find. You might want to take a look at that thread. It should still be on the first page here.

3. There is no definitive answer to that. So much depends on a variety of factors. You really need to crunch the numbers for yourself. Sometimes a Disney package is cheaper than pricing out the parts separately. Sometimes not. And while it might be cheaper for me to pay for the parts, it might be cheaper for you to book the same visit as a package.

Go to the Disney website and check the current offers. There is a special package and a room-only discount available to the general public. There is also a PIN code for room discounts that would cover your dates, but that is a targeted offers and is non-transferrable.

1. I have no problem camping....I love it....however my family thinks I am nuts and I guess maybe packing everything in the van for camping and driving from PA is a little on the nutty side....but HEY!
So yea, I think POR is my best option.

2. I tried cheaptickets a few minutes ago and the code I found said it was not valid for the room I picked (hmph!) so I will definitely look for that thread and try it out!

3. I will keep crunching away! I swear to you...the other day I put all my info in and used AOA cars suite, dining plan and it came out to like $3500
Came back the next day but in my info again ready to book...bam....$4900!!!!
It was probably my clicking fingers doing something wrong the day before

 

[tzeitel]

Orbitz has codes all the time for hotels (Disney included), plus if you go through Ebates you can get cash back. For hotels the cash back is not huge but for tickets (under "activities" in Orbitz) you can get up to 10% back.

If you have a Target card you can buy Disney gift cards for 5% off. You can get an idea of how much you will spend on food (check out the menus of restaurants you might want to try) and get that amount in gift cards - kinda like having the meal plan since it is pre-paid We just charged everything to the room and paid with the gift cards the night before we checked out.

 

[rlh75]

Orbitz has codes all the time for hotels (Disney included), plus if you go through Ebates you can get cash back. For hotels the cash back is not huge but for tickets (under "activities" in Orbitz) you can get up to 10% back.

If you have a Target card you can buy Disney gift cards for 5% off. You can get an idea of how much you will spend on food (check out the menus of restaurants you might want to try) and get that amount in gift cards - kinda like having the meal plan since it is pre-paid We just charged everything to the room and paid with the gift cards the night before we checked out.

Thank you for the Orbitz info and the ebates info. 10% back on $1200 in tix is a good chunk of cash!!!

Also...the target gift card thing! Amazing find! I just said this to my MIL...if we just charge it to the room and pay with gc it is the same thing as the dining plan!

Thank you again!!!

 

[Mersmom98]

You can also look at Undercover Tourist to buy your park tickets. We used them this past July and highly recommend them. You can sign up for Mousesavers emails and their monthly newsletter includes a link for Undercover Tourist for an even bigger discount. If you can't get a package deal with free dining then, I wouldn't worry about the dining package. If you shop at Kroger, keep an eye out for 4x fuel rewards specials when you buy gift cards. It worked out to be a better deal than saving 5% at Target for us because I drove a Suburban at the time so helped me to save like $35 on one tank of gas. We brought our own snacks into the park in a small soft-sided cooler as well as Brita water bottles.

 

[Gr8t Fan]

See this thread for info. about booking through the British Expedia website:
http://disboards.com/showthread.php?t=3222577

A Family Suite at ASMu would be about $1,100 (I chose arbitrary dates of 5/11/14 - 5/17/14) as opposed to booking directly with Disney which would be almost $1,900.

 

[jimandami]

See this thread for info. about booking through the British Expedia website:
http://disboards.com/showthread.php?t=3222577

A Family Suite at ASMu would be about $1,100 (I chose arbitrary dates of 5/11/14 - 5/17/14) as opposed to booking directly with Disney which would be almost $1,900.

I think the AoA suites are cheaper for a few dates as well.

 

[HeatherC]

If you can live without Disney theming, check out Bonnet Creek Resort. Onsite...just not Disney owned. You can get a two bedroom villa with full kitchen, two bathrooms, multiple tvs', lazy rivers, free mini golf, etc. for $100 a night including all taxes and fees.

You can rent through vacationupgrades.com as well as several other places.

Doesn't have housekkeping since it is a timeshare, but location and value to be "onsite" can't be beat.

It is next to the Caribbean Beach Resort.

Hope this helps!

 

[rlh75]

See this thread for info. about booking through the British Expedia website:
http://disboards.com/showthread.php?t=3222577

A Family Suite at ASMu would be about $1,100 (I chose arbitrary dates of 5/11/14 - 5/17/14) as opposed to booking directly with Disney which would be almost $1,900.

I just discovered this myself! Thank you!

Pricing out tix on disney site it made the whole trip about $2300.

So...I read some of the post...will go back and read all....but can you give me a for dummies summary??? Do I just click through to book it and then the conversation will be automatic??

 

[rlh75]

I think the AoA suites are cheaper for a few dates as well.

any idea what those dates would be?
The couple I put it were not much cheaper. Well maybe they were...I was just overtaken by the ASM prices, and didn't finish calculating the AOA.

 

[rlh75]

If you can live without Disney theming, check out Bonnet Creek Resort. Onsite...just not Disney owned. You can get a two bedroom villa with full kitchen, two bathrooms, multiple tvs', lazy rivers, free mini golf, etc. for $100 a night including all taxes and fees.

You can rent through vacationupgrades.com as well as several other places.

Doesn't have housekkeping since it is a timeshare, but location and value to be "onsite" can't be beat.

It is next to the Caribbean Beach Resort.

Hope this helps!

I thought about bonnet Creek but didn't research it well as I was with needing the Disney Dining plan...the whole shabang...ya know!

If I can convince myself that we can visit radiator springs at AOA and just not stay....I will be much better. Sticker shock is helping me fuel that!!

 

[rlh75]

Just in case anyone else is following for some tips for their own search....

Here is what I have found....

Expedia uk
ASMsu are $1081 for the week of 3/29 - 4/6 as well as the week of 5/11 - 5/16

Orbitz
With the PACKUP code ASMsu is $1317.12 for the week of 5/11 - 5/16
Sticker shock for march so I didn't finish looking. LOL!!

Disney site Tix for all five of us (4 day passes no frills) were about $1200.

I started pricing out just room rates on Disney and had to stop.

 

[rlh75]

as a side bar....lets talk dates....because I can not get anyone in my party to say "yay" or "nay" either way.

March.....
Earlier than may
Can leave the day of my ODS bday. Big surprise for him.

May.
Star wars weekends start. Both DS's like star wars.
The new Mine coaster thingy should be open.
Chance that the new Harry Potter world could be open.
Prices are cheaper.
More time to save.

Looks like a no brainer...huh?

 

[brymolmom]

Didn't read responses so sorry if repeating:

For family of 5 - cheapest onsite is likely Port Orleans Riverside or All star Music Family Suite.

Buying tickets separately IF THERE IS NO ONSITE DISCOUNT - might give you a slight discount. I would use undercovertourist.com - but wait to see if there is any other package deal released.

If it was me and I was not going around any schedule or anything - I would go the first week in May and completely avoid end of March/early April.

To keep it more budget friendly, I would suggest:
NOT buying the dining plan unless it is offered for free. You can eat for less without it. Just schedule 2 or 3 sit down meals and eat the rest CS and order/bring groceries for your room for breakfast and snacks.

Skip the park hoppers but do try to go for at least a week (especially with FP+ limitations, adding extra days is a bonus).

I'm not sure what you're thinking in terms of total budget - but just a heads-up that visiting Universal for ONE day (especially if you are not driving to Disney) - will be in the neighborhood of $600 for a family of 5....I believe. This is for transportation there plus tickets...Even more if you want some fastpasses (or front of the line passes) for those parks. If you want to, instead, go to a Disney park for that extra day - It will be about $50. Just to give you something to think about. It is NOT budget friendly to do one day at Universal during a mostly Disney trip.