First time booking...

[nine9d]

I am getting prepared to book my first trip to WDW. Is there anything that I should know or do? I have read so many different things on DIS and in some guide books. A few places are telling me to call and book the room seperate from the tickets?? Is there anyone out there with some advice that can help me? Thanks in advace.

 

[brentalex]

There is no simple answer. I can give you how I do things and what I find is best for my family, but others will have other options.
Since I only go once a year, an Annual Pass is not cost effective for us, so we book a room only reservation using a AAA discount. These currently are the cheapest rates available for the 'general' public. Then for tickets, I have signed up for the mousesavers newsletter at www.mousesavers.com
In that newsletter is a link for discount tickets through ticketmania. I buy the tickets there. For my family a package with the dining plan makes no sense because of the way Disney prices it. My DD is 11 would be charged as an adult but eats like a child. So, for us, a room only reservation with separate tickets is the way to go.
If an offer for free dining came out as has happened in the past, then maybe I would consider a package, but other than that, a package saves me no money.

 

[Philadisney]

just to second what brentalex said above - we did the EXACT same thing to book our room & tickets for may.

 

[Terri]

We also book everything separately. I've been able to get good deals with Ticket Mania. We also like to have a kitchen so we can eat breakfasts and most dinners in. With 4 kids, not only does this save a lot of money, but with a 2 & 5 yr old is a lot easier than waiting for a table with tired, hungry kids. Since we drive its not as much as a hassle as it sounds. I just make & freeze main courses and take my prepared shopping list to the grocery store right after I check in.

Renting points from DVC members is a good way to stay in Disney properties for less money. We are staying 5 nights in a 2 bedroom villa at Old Key West for $1200. Sounds like a lot until you look up the disney rate on the same room --$575/night. We are also estimating we are saving $500 - 700 on food because of the kitchen.

When we had just 2 kids we stayed in a Wilderness Cabin at Fort Wilderness and loved that, too. Again just eating breakfasts in saves time & money. Also there are so many activities there -- you could have a great vacation there without actually going into the parks, of course who would want to do that?

 

[Cinderella]

I also book everything separately and shop round for discounts. But, if the free dining came round again, I would do a package in a heartbeat. These boards are a great way to find a lot of help with planning. I also recommend the mousesavers one and love www.wdwig.com - lots of pics, menus and reviews on there too.

 

[nine9d]

Renting points from DVC members is a good way to stay in Disney properties for less money.

How do I go about doing this? I have never heard of that. Where and how do you use the points? Thanks for all of this great help.

 

[staci]

There is a whole forum here on the dis to rent/trade points. I just did it as a suprise for my parents this week. We had booked two rooms at Pop and and I rented enough points for them to spend the last evening at BW. I figured that this would be a good way for me to try it out. It was wonderful. Everything went very smoothly. I found someone through the boards who was willing to 'rent' me enough points for one night (about 10 bucks a point seems to be the asking price). He made the ressie in my dad's name and sent me the confirmation, I paypalled him the money, dad took the confirmation and checked in to the Bw. I will rent points again in a heartbeat.