First timer seeks advice

[Troyfus]

I plan to take my family (me,spouse, 6yr, and 9yr boys) to WDW during the first week of June 2003. My wife has set a limit of $4,000 max. This must include everything but food. We will be flying from TX. We want to stay on property.
After reading posts, I am overwhelmed by the amount of information and suggestions. You all are so helpful to one another. What package or course of action would any of you very experienced members recommend? Since we rarely vacation, I want to really blow my family's socks off. I'm a mail carrier that could use his socks blown off too (ecspecially after walking all day!)

 

[tink2dw]

Since you have alittle time to plan, you can start deciding what are the things that are "must do's" and "must see's." and decide the length of your trip.
Do this by reading a WDW guide book,they tell you about the rides[inform about height restrictions],give you maps,where rides,shows,and food and restrooms are located. Librarys have WDW guide books to loan.

Then decide on the tickets you will need here.
http://www.mousesavers.com/tickets.html

When you decide what kind of tickets you will need,then check the Budget Board for the Beat deal available on tickets

To keep an EYE on All the discounts for on-site and off-site resorts check here often and sign up for the MouseSavers.com newsletter to get all the best news.
http://www.mousesavers.com/wdw.html

For Air fares sign up at all the Airline Web sites that fly out of your airport that fly to Orlando or MCO in airline speak. Then Check Expedia,Travelocity for airline deals. Also check out the Transporation Board air,car deals.
http://www.disboards.com/forumdisplay.php?s=&forumid=16

Start a WDW change jar to save for your trip.[there are many tips here on this board!!]

Also you can decide where you will want to eat and start making plans to make your food budget and check the Priority Seatings Calculator to know when you can make PS's some are as far out as 730 Days.
http://www.wdwinfo.com/wdwinfo/dining/pscalc/dispscalc.html

Also to help decide where to eat you can find menu's at Deb's wdw site,this works 2 ways to see where to eat what,and how much it costs, to finalize the food budget.
http://www.wdwig.com/menu/menus.htm

To keep all this info in one place,here is a computer Disney Vacation Planner. It will print each day on a seperate sheet. Also check the pull down menu'sat the top for loads of info!!
http://www.intercot.com/planner/default.asp

One more Hint Favorite[or Bookmark?] everything that you might use later that way you won't lose important websites!!

Well,this should get you started on a thousand more Questions!! So,don't be shy! Ask away!! The kind members here will share what they know! So,check back often!!

 

[SusanD]

I know there is abundance of information but this is very doable. You have already made two important decisions, your budget and that you want to stay on site.

Which resort is another big question. This will take a big chunk out of your budget. You need to decide if you plan on basking in the atmosphere of your lodgings of if you are just going to be sleeping there.

If it you can afford to do so, I would recommend one of the resorts on the monorail line. It makes transportation simple and very pleasant. You have the opportunity to go back to your room during the heat of the day for a swim (or nap). The Polynesian is tropical, friendly and layed back. The Contemporary is a favorite with many and the Grand Floridian (rather spendy) has class and style to spare.

The other resorts all have their own charm and appeal. While it is hard to make a bad choice, the best one will depend on your personal taste.

I hope you enjoy the process of trip planning as well as the trip itself. Just remember that anticipation is part of the fun.

 

[disneyfan551]

WELCOME TO THE DIS!!! You will love it here - great people & great information!!!

 

[disneefamily]

Disnee dad Says..........................................Do not buy any package plan. There has never been a Disney plan that I can't beat by 20-30 %, in less than an hour.
If it's only for a week, try Dixie Landings, it goes by some lame name of Riverside now. You can do a week for $3000, we did it in 1997, and that included food. PM me with the details, we did two trips for ten days each, and stayed under $4000, and that included food!! And on one trip three days at AKL!!l

 

[IowaGirl]

You can definitly meet that budget!! You have plenty of time to plan it yourself.

The first thing I decided was when, and then on-site v. off.

I always told myself when I brought the family we would stay on-site. I had stayed at Coronado S. and All Stars for business, and wasn't real impressed, but I liked the idea of early entry. Well, no early entry, so when we went this last May, I couldn't resist the off-site deal I got, and we flew, so I was definitly renting a car(I only paid 100 more for having a car for 10 days at my disposal, rather than taxis, shuttle, or towncar)

Stayed at Country Inn and Suites Calypso Cay and loved it. We were at the parks in 10 minutes, and were there for the gates to open. Were just to busy to hang out in our room, although it was all nice.

I'll share what I paid for our 10 day tripall taxes, etc)
1000. Round Trip Airfare for 4 (a little high, do better next trip)
790 5 day park Hoppper passes for 4, DC discount
350 3 day hopper passes Universal for 4
230 rental car 10 days
336 8 nights Country Inn and Suites(breakfast included)
320 2 nights Portofino Bay Hotel, Universal
400 Discovery Cove for 2
70 Gatorland (I'll skip this next time)
Free Cape Canaveral Beach
450 Food for four(and we never ate a PB&J)

Next time we'll go I'll save money by surfing more for a better airfare, skip Discovery Cove(Nice, but $$$), skip Gatorland, add another beach day, and stay at Universal's new hotel ($99 rate)

You lucky dog, have fun!!!!!!I love the planning part!!!!!

 

[MELSMICE]

Research, research, research & do the trip a la carte, not a package. My sister is a travel agent & even she recommends a la carte.

Check mousesavers daily. Who knows what might come up. Register with mypoints.com to earn points & get gift certificates for meals.

Eating off-site is less expensive, so look into the option of renting a car. If you can rent one with a code it might be worth it to spend the money on the car & go off-site to eat. Plus, although I love Disney, I don't think their food is the best, so we enjoy eating off-site more.

So many things to think about. Do your homework & good luck.

P.S. For a little extra spending cash put aside $5 a week & get Disney Dollars with it. Use it for special things like a stop at an ice cream stand, or a special souvenir.

 

[jjsmom]

I totally agree with all the above posters and their suggestions; I would just like to add my 2 cents:

1) Our family's favorite guidebook is the "Passporter". Very in-depth, comprehensive, lots of charts for budgeting, lots of honest opinions about restaurants, resorts, etc. The other guide books are quite fun, maybe just a little too "sugar coated" for a serious, budget minded planner. Your kids will love the Birnbaums "kids" guide book.

2) Check this board very frequently for lots of new, updated info. We've been 13 times and always find new info on this board.

3) Disney Dollars make great gifts/ stocking stuffers/ good report card rewards/ allowances for kids. If anyone asks (no one in our family is ashamed to say) "what to get for a gift??" you can politely suggest Disney Dollars.

4) Lots of folks get by without a car at Disney and are very happy to do so. We love having our own transportation so we can go to restaurants outside of WDW and make "grocery runs" for water, snacks, soda, wine, etc. These "Incidental" expenses can seriously cut into your budget.

5) We have learned the hard way not to forget to pack the following items (I realize you didn't ask about what to pack, but this is an issue related to budget;trust me):

film, batteries, blister pads/bandaids, good shoes, any toiletries, make up,feminine products, medications (both otc & prescription). We've really been burned by having to buy these items onsite.

6) Try to plan an "off park" day to just relax, lounge by the pool, check out Downtown Disney, Boardwalk, etc.

If I think of anything else, I'll let you know.

Happy planning!! Have a great trip!!

 

[2batu]

Even though we have been to Disney before, reading this thread has really helped out a lot! Some people are really in the know here!

 

[annemariec]

Welcome to the DIS! The posters above gave you some great advice. I have a few things to add too.

You will be glad you are staying onsite. It makes all the difference. We drove down, parked our car and never used it once the entire week we were there. The transportation system can't be beat.

I read on here something I'm going to try the next time we go to the world. Someone said they usually plan the parks they are going to visit in advance. And then (this is so cool) they book their hotel(s) to be in proximity to their plans! We've enjoyed staying at monorail hotels (Poly & GF). They are both great in their own way. So when we went to MK it was a breeze.

Now you can take the monorail to Epcot from those hotels --- but it takes awhile. So next time the first part of the week we'll do a monorail hotel and the middle of the week we'll do the boardwalk hotel. The hotels will move your bags for you while you enjoy yourself at the parks!

Just thought I'd share that with you. Something to think about.

I agree, keep looking on www.mousesavers.com. It's a great site to look for deals. Also, as Disnee Dad said, don't go for a package. It's always more expensive.

Planning is so much fun! Keep asking questions. This site is a wonderful resource.

Annemarie

 

[Ron from Michigan]

You should be able to stay with that budget really easy. We have gone to WDW and never come close to that budget and spent upto 10 days staying onsite. Just keep a close eye on the boards on savings on the hotel of your choice, I would never buy a package you can do alot better on your own. We bought annual passes last year and they were a better bargain for us over hopper passes. If you have any questions feel free to e-mail me...

 

[NancyIL]

I know it's a year away, but for a limited time you can get 5-day park hoppers with 4 plus features (rather than the usual 2 - for water parks and Pleasure island) from Ticketmania through this link: http://www.ticketmania.com/discountMOUSESAVERS.shtml

As a government employee - you can probably get a GREAT rate at the WDW Swan or Dolphin ($129/night in 2002). The location between Epcot and MGM is wonderful, and the grotto pool is beautiful. For more info, look here: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=169829

 

[StrwLady]

Troyfus,

I think you can do a blow your socks and pants off vacation for a budget of $4000 Especially considering this budget does not include food.

My first suggestion in join the Disney Club closer to the time you plan to purchase your tickets. The discount is not huge on the tickets but you pretty much cover your club fee with the discount you would get on 4 park hoppers. Then you will have the club card to try and get the discounts at the hotels. Often the other discounts you find are a bit higher then the club discount but you will at least have that to fall back on.

Once you get about 6 months away from your trip start looking in to air fares. I check travelocity. And I do it daily because I find often I will get my fare watcher alert after that rate has sold out. I fly from Dallas and the high end of a good fare is about $200 including tax and fees. The absolute lowest I have seen is $100 including tax and fees but that is very rare. I just got $155 including tax and fees. Which I was very happy with.

Since its your frist trip I would suggest a Disney on site hotel. I responded to your post about the dolphin but I personally think that on your first trip a Disney theme hotel will add to the magic. Check out the sites that have pictures of the different resorts to help you make your decision. With your budget if you can get a good rate at a deluxe hotel I think you could do it and still stay in budget.

We go to Dw often and I would say with a stay at an all star and not including food and souvenirs (we budget $100 a day sometimes more considering if we are doing a sit down meal ) we usually spend about $2000 (air fare, transportation to and from hotel, hotel and tickets) that would be for a 5 night 6 day trip for 2 adult and 1 child.

Enjoy your planning...that?s half the fun. And don't be afraid to call and change your plans a thousand times over. I think the people at COR probably know me by my voice now I call so often. LOL.

 

[Lisa P.]

I know you've posted that you want the $4,000 to include everything but food. I hope you are aware the food is likely to be much, much more expensive that it is back home. If you choose carefully, you ought to be able to spend a week for $4,000 INCLUDING food. Then you may find that it doesn't have to be a trip of a lifetime. Rather, a nice family vacation may become something you do (WDW or elsewhere) yearly.

Figure $1,000 for airfare. Add $ (?) for a towncar or transfers or rental car. Look for a deal on your room - this could run anywhere from $500-$2,800 for the week. Park passes could cost between $1,000-$1,500+ for the week, depending on whether you plan to include water parks, DQ, PI, days off to relax at your hotel, and/or non-Disney parks. So WITHOUT food, photos or other souvenirs, you're staring out between $2,650 and $5,600.

It is definitely possible for a first time family to have a fabulous, blow-your-socks-off WDW vacation for $4,000 TOTAL. Stay at a themed moderate resort with a discount deal and use towncar services. Have brunch at a resort character breakfast early in the trip. Share meals sometimes. Have one nice sitdown meal per day or less, choosing counter service and carts for other food. Consider a styro cooler with quick breakfast foods in your room. Consider offsite luxury suites and a rental car if you plan to visit several resorts for their restaurants and/or visit non-Disney parks. Get Park Hopper Plus passes and use the plus features on days devoted to the great Disney water parks and sleeping-in (you WILL all be tired if you try to visit theme parks every day). Plan to visit Downtown Disney on your departure day to do last minute shopping and skip a theme park admission. Hope that helps some.

 

[chris1gill]

For airfare deals, I'd actually sign up with www.Travelocity.com... you can put in your airports of interest & it will email you based on what you requested (if air is less than a certain amount or daily, or whatever you want) That way you can get ALL the airfare deals in one email.

I wouldn't really do much at this point. Somewhere around November I'd start watching this board or the Resorts board... Discounts might come out by then, but I'd personally expect they wouldn't be out til January... Once the discounts for June come out, book a hotel. And, of course, if travelocity comes up with a special fare, book that whenever it occurs.

Those are the two big things, once those are booked, things like passes & dinners can be planned out.

I think a 4K budget for one week is more than doable, especially if you hang around the DIS getting everyones suggestions!!

 

[doombuggy]

You have been given lots of great tips. I have stayed on and off property, and believe that you should and could stay on property at a reasonable price. My recomendation would be Port Orleans/French Quarter. Another thought that isn't mentioned here is the Wilderness Cabins. My aunt & unlce stayed there last year and loved it! Aunt thought "trailer," but loved it when they got there. They have four kids ages 7 to 16. They come equipped with a kitchen, so you can plan eating in. I would get a car if you're going this route (to grocery store) and also if you are planning on going to any other park, etc (Universal, Sea World, the Cape, etc). When I stayed at the Poly, we did not have a car, and to a shuttle service from/to the airport.

If you do stay on property, I think it is worth it for you to at least check into how much the length of stay pass would cost you, if you have no plans to go to other parks, or would be interested in doing a Disney park and something else in one day. I had a lenght of stay pass when I stayed at the Contemp. We also had a food plan too, which was not bad.

I have always found better airline prices by going directly through the airline, but I am limited on my choices. I have found only two airlines that run direct flights to Orlando from Phila. You might have better luck.

Enjoy your planning, and have a SUPER trip!