Going Crazy on Budget

[dbb00]

It seems like I have been on the internet for 2 weeks straight, and instead of everything becoming clear, I am more confused than ever. I am trying to plan my first Disney vacation and budget wisely. I have searched and read and searched and read and searched and read... almost every site on the internet it seems. I know you all must get very tired of pleas for help. But I am desparate. I what to make this vacation a great one but i'm ready to pull my hair out. Here are my details... planning vacation for April 2 - 9th... one adult, one teen... planning on disneyworld, epcot & animal kingdom + sea world, dinner shows etc. and then one or 2 days in clearwater to go deep sea fishing. I've been searching for the best deals, but everything is running together at this point. Everytime I find a hotel, i find some good and some horrible ratings of it. I would like to stay in the $50 - $70 range on hotel. can anyone recommend what would be a good place to stay? It doesn't have to be "luxury" but a nice "clean" place with a nice pool. Please help me. thanks.

DBB

 

[mum4jenn]

Have you tried Priceline before?? We have many times and can get some great hotels for great prices. Look up biddingfortravel.com and they can give you pointers for getting great bids accepted.

 

[crazelion]

Check hotelkingdom.com for hotels in your price range. then check tripadvior.com for hotel reviews. Also do a search dis board for hotel reviews to.

Just take a deep breath and take it one step at a time.

Simple plan

Find a hotel your price range then check hotel reviews

Tickets

Rental Car or town car if coming from the airport

This should get you going. Just keep asking questions on the boards it will come clear.

 

[crazelion]

Here a short list of some hotels that get good reviews all the time:

AmeriSuites Disney Eastgate
4991 Calypso Cay Way, Orlando (Kissimmee), FL, 34746

Cypress Pointe Disney Grand Villas
8651 Treasure Cay Lane, Lake Buena Vista, FL, 32836


Country Inn Maingate Disney
5001 Calypso Cay Way, Orlando (Kissimmee), FL, 34746

 

[dbb00]

Thank You for the fast replies. Is hotel kingdom a good place to book. Have you ever had any problems with it? They seem to have some good rates for resorts and hotels. Have you ever stayed at any of the resorts?

 

[tink2dw]

Here are my top 3 choices for great inexpensive hotels,with great reputations here at the DIS!!!!

With an Entertainment Book rate this one is the Best!!
http://www.hifamilysuites.com/index.html?

This one is really cool!! Tou have to see the site to believe it!!
http://www.tropicalpalms.com/room_details.asp

This one is the least inexpensive one!!
http://www.magicorlando.com/links.htm

 

[kilee]

Take some reviews lightly. Some people are expecting the Grand Floridian quality for $50.00 a night. If you are looking for clean, modern and safe. Your going to do great in your price range. If you seriously are okay with it I would try priceline or hotwire. You might even be able to pick up a resort level room for up to $70 a night. Or go down a notch-- and you might save a little. Rooms like the Grovsner and Sheraton Safari come up for under $50.00.


I usually spend close to a month researching room prices, along with villas and pool homes. I like to know all my options. Keep a running list of your top picks, prices and the webiste. After looking at 25 sites it's hard to remeber which one had that great price.

Have fun, after all the planning is part of the fun!!!!!

 

[pomcoach]

I 2nd the previous motion for giving Priceline a serious look. We decided we wanted a Resort level room on a really tight budget. We got the Renaissance Orlando Resort for $69. It is right across the street from Sea World and 15 min. to WDW or Universal. It has a large bathroom with 2 sinks and very large rooms. If you go to wwwbiddingfortravel.com
it will teach you how to bid. Or if you're in a hurry, you're pretty much assured of getting this same Resort, if you bid Resort level in Orlando, only the Universal/Sea World zone, and $69. Remember that once you click "Buy my Hotel", you are stuck with it, and there's no refunds or exchanges. Good Luck planning your trip.

 

[Paige3]

I've booked with hotelkingdom and would gladly use them again. In fact, I found a cheaper rate on another site and they matched that rate. For $66, the Crowne Plaza is available for the dates you want at hotelkingdom. It seems to get great reviews! I've also used hotwire and was satisfied with them. Good luck!

 

[disneyjunkie]

If you want to stay on site, you can use the CTN code to book one of the value resorts. With tax it's $88.09 a night. More than you're planning to pay, but then you won't need a rental car during your stay. You'll also be able to use Early Entry for Magic Kingdom, Epcot and Animal Kingdom.


Have you made your PS yet?

Are you getting hopper passes? If so, maybe you can add MGM onto your AK day. Fantasmic is a great show.

My son(12) and I will be there April 2-13, the wait is driving me nuts.

Feel free to ask as many questions as you want.

 

[spiceycat]

first look at your schedule - you are trying to do FAR too much....

WDW will eat up around 10 days if you do everything there.

US/IOA - 2 days

SW - 1 day

and you want to go to Dinner shows

cut back your list to half - either only do WDW - or don't include WDW at all. there is a ton of other stuff to do in Orlando - so you wouldn't be bore.

first of all if you are going to do WDW - then disneyjunkie is right -try to stay on property. You won't need a rental car - you will if you stay off-site. If you decide you can't afford to stay onsite and some people really can't. then find something in Kissimmee or Lake Buena Vista - period. International Blvd can be okay - it can also be a very long drive.... the longer time it takes you to get to the park the less time you will have at them.

Understand that off-site means getting a rental car - redo your figures - you might be able to afford to stay on site.

However if you decide to do the other things on your list and save WDW for another trip - there are several very nice hotels.

Universal has several hotels very close to it and so does SW.

go to the Universal/SW hotels for more information on them - I have only stayed in Universal's Royal Pacific, HGVC, MGV, Renaissance - in those areas. but there are several cheaper hotels close by.

No offense - but I really think you are trying to do far to much.

most people who love WDW return to Orlando again. Believe me if you love you will return - if you hate it because you try to do to much (very easy to do) you will never want to return!!!

 

[dbb00]

You're probably right. I am planning too much for a short period of time. LOL. I wish I had more time and more money to spend... but then, doesn't everyone. Acutally, I think I am going to try to do 3 days at disney parks... magic kingdom, epcot & animal kingdom ... i saw on one of the boards that you can get a 3 day park hopper pass at alamo for $169. Do you think that is a good deal for what i want to do? Then one day at sea world, dinner shows, etc. Then go over to clearwater to go deep sea fishing for a day. I figured probably 6 nights, 7 days in orland and one in clearwater now. Yeah, probably packing too much in too few days... but I'm afraid I won't get back for years.

dbb00

 

[disneyjunkie]

The 3 day passes sound fine to me. If the crowds in the park you're in get to be to much, you'll be able to hop over to another.
Since this is the week before Easter, the parks will be packed.


Where you going to stay? If you want to use the code I posted, you have to book by tomorrow. You could book it now, the deposit won't be do for another two weeks. You could lock that rate in while you check other options.


Which dinner meals are you planning to do?


Have you checked out Deb's site? She has tons of info about everything disney there.

www.wdwig.com

 

[losthat1]

Remember that if you stay on site and have no car you will have to eat at Disney. That is a very good way to drain your wallet! You can rent an economy car, eat outside the parks, and probably spend less than on site at WDW. I too think Priceline is a great way to go.

 

[crazelion]

The 3 day hopper includes one plus option. So you can a water park one to. It's basic a 4 day ticket for 169.00 dollars which is a excellent buy.

Here what I would do:

Majic Kingdom

MGM Studios or Animal Kingdom

Epcot

Plus option can include
Blizzard Beach, tyhoon Lagoon, Pleausre Island, i think Disney Quest put not sure about Disney Quest.

Then Do
US
IOA

Sea World

That way you can spend all time Orlando.

 

[dbb00]

Sounds like an awesome idea. I'm really looking forward to this vacation. It's been a long time since I've been able to get away for more than a weekend. Thanks for the head up on the 3 day park hopper. I wasn't sure all that was included, but it seemed like a good value. Will the water parks be open then? I guess when I call the number to buy the park hopper, they will tell me what all I can get right?

Well, after lots of research and all the help I have received, I think I'm going to try priceline. It's kinda scary, but seems like it will offer the best value. Just the no refunds policy scares me a little.

So, priceline for the hotel, the 3 day park hopper, seaworld and universal. Wow, a packed week. LOL. Now, all I have to research is restaurants. Any thing else I need to know or should consider?

Thanks to everyone for the help. I'm sure you will continue to hear from me for a while. More questions will always pop up and my nerves will get the best of me before April.

dbb