HELP! Asked to plan trip for my BIL - Florida Resident

[maggiew]

Help! My BIL has heard that we are going to Disney (AGAIN!) and he asked if he and his family (BIL, SIL, DNephew - 2, and DNephew- 1) could "tag along". They are Florida Residents and have never been to Disney If they only knew the discounts they were missing!!!

Anyway, I know that there are great deals for Florida residents but I never pay attention to them because I live in Illinois. But now he wants me to plan his trip - look for hotel and ticket deals, etc.

Hotels:
I know there are usually Florida resident rates. Right now there are rates and it is PEAK season -
Values: 54
Moderates: 69
AKL: 119
Beach Club: 209
(all prices from Mousesavers)

Since we are going during regular season, can I expect them to be $10 or so less???

Tickets:
We are going during balck out dates for the seasonal pass.
We are going to be there for 9 nights and at the parks 8 days.
I had planned for my family to do the 2 water parks and Disney quest since we are getting UPHs.

Florida resident annual pass from AAA South: $306.99
There is a play for 4 days offered now, but expires before we go: $109. Good only at the 4 parks.
I could get a 4 day plus for about $210 from Hotwire Savings Club (don't know the exact price but around there). This would only be useful if no Play for 4 days pass available.
10 day world pass (like ultimate hopper - right?) around $350 each. Good for 4 parks and others.
30 day fun in the sun passes (like ultimate hopper - right?) around $325??

What would you recommend?? What other savings are they eligible for?

Maggie

 

[maggiew]

OK. More thoughts.

Should they just get a 4 day pass with maybe one plus?? I was thinking with the babies maybe going to parks everyday would be too much?? I don't know much about this because my kids are 12 and 8 and like to go all day every day!

Should I try and convince them to stay at the Poly?? With the two babies and a stroller, maybe that would be easier. It would also be a nice hotel for their days off?? Right now my family is planning to stay at Pop Century, but DH would probably want to stay at the Poly with his brother, so he could easily twist my arm .

Maggie

 

[A Mickeyfan]

Hotels:
I know there are usually Florida resident rates. Right now there are rates and it is PEAK season -
Values: 54
Moderates: 69
AKL: 119
Beach Club: 209
(all prices from Mousesavers)
**********************************
First off, you have the rates mixed up. These rates that are quoted from mousesavers are for FL residents with the Disney Visa Card only. Regular Fl resident rates are the same as the AP rate for that time frame (4/18-7/4).... and they are slightly higher:

get special discounted rates for check-ins 4/18/04-7/4/04. reported:

Value Resorts - $59
Moderates - $74 standard, $89 preferred
Ft. Wilderness Cabin - $155
Animal Kingdom Lodge - $124 standard, $145 pool view, $200 savannah view, $365 concierge
Wilderness Lodge - $124 standard, $139 woods view, $175 courtyard view
Contemporary - $149 standard view garden wing
Beach/Yacht Club - $214 standard, $280 water view
Polynesian - $229 garden view, $315 lagoon view
Grand Floridian - $340 lagoon view

Secondly, these dates are not considered peak, they are regular season.
He will still be getting great rates and discounts....but please read everything carefully when organizing his vacation....

 

[A Mickeyfan]

Originally posted by maggiew
OK. More thoughts.

Should they just get a 4 day pass with maybe one plus?? I was thinking with the babies maybe going to parks everyday would be too much?? I don't know much about this because my kids are 12 and 8 and like to go all day every day!

Should I try and convince them to stay at the Poly?? With the two babies and a stroller, maybe that would be easier. It would also be a nice hotel for their days off?? Right now my family is planning to stay at Pop Century, but DH would probably want to stay at the Poly with his brother, so he could easily twist my arm .

Maggie

Not sure how far from Disney he lives, but it may be worth his while to get an annual pass and get several trips out of it. As far as discounts.... he can purchase the Disney Dining Card for like $70 and it will get him 20% off food and drinks for one year at select resturants. I have it and with a family of 5 it always paid for itself on our 2nd character meal. Disneyworld.com has an entire section devoted to discounts for us Fl Residents, have you checked that out yet??? My thoughts for the Poly... if he can afford it, I would go with what you are saying.... it will be much easier for them. On the "off days", you can still view the fireworks from the beach there. That is my favorite resort....unfortunatly.... I cannot afford it each time I go with as many times as I do..... I stay at a deluxe once a year & then value, mods and even Priceline for the other stays.....

 

[maleficent1959]

Originally posted by A Mickeyfan
As far as discounts.... he can purchase the Disney Dining Card for like $70 and it will get him 20% off food and drinks for one year at select resturants.

We have it too and we love it. I think you can only use it for up to six people, though, and the card member is the one who has to pay. They seemed to be more careful on checking a photo ID with the card the last couple times we went. Your brother can order this from the WDW website and can get a companion card for his spouse. They're $75 for residents, $70 for resident annual passholders. They take a couple weeks or so to arrive.

We just got back and paid $109 at the moderates from 3/19-3/23. We travel with a baby and a 3 YO and for us it wasn't worth the extra cost to stay at the Poly. We don't spend the majority of our time at MK. Our DS likes MK, but he also loves the animals at AK, the Mermaid and Playhouse Disney shows at MGM and just about everything at Epcot. We're all over the place when we go and we don't use Disney transportation. We don't like to park at MK, though, so we park at Epcot and take the monorail over.

Is he going to be there for the entire 8 days? If so, why bother with a 4-day hopper? Even if the babies get tired and don't want to be there the whole day they may like to spend eight leisurely days rather than four hectic days and then four outside the park thinking about you guys having a good time in the park. I'd get the Annual pass if he thinks he'll go again. If he wants to go to the water parks with you he can buy the water park tickets ($31) separate for this trip. The Florida Resident Premium Pass (includes water parks and Pleasure island) is $100 more than the Annual Pass. Unless they plan on going again and doing the water parks again that is more pass than they need but talk with them about that option as well.

 

[maggiew]

Originally posted by A Mickeyfan
Hotels:
I know there are usually Florida resident rates. Right now there are rates and it is PEAK season -
Values: 54
Moderates: 69
AKL: 119
Beach Club: 209
(all prices from Mousesavers)
**********************************
First off, you have the rates mixed up. These rates that are quoted from mousesavers are for FL residents with the Disney Visa Card only. Regular Fl resident rates are the same as the AP rate for that time frame (4/18-7/4).... and they are slightly higher:

get special discounted rates for check-ins 4/18/04-7/4/04. reported:

Value Resorts - $59
Moderates - $74 standard, $89 preferred
Ft. Wilderness Cabin - $155
Animal Kingdom Lodge - $124 standard, $145 pool view, $200 savannah view, $365 concierge
Wilderness Lodge - $124 standard, $139 woods view, $175 courtyard view
Contemporary - $149 standard view garden wing
Beach/Yacht Club - $214 standard, $280 water view
Polynesian - $229 garden view, $315 lagoon view
Grand Floridian - $340 lagoon view

Secondly, these dates are not considered peak, they are regular season.
He will still be getting great rates and discounts....but please read everything carefully when organizing his vacation....

Thanks for pointing those points out. He wanted a ballpark figure today to see what it would cost him and I was trying to scramble for numbers for him so I didn't pay as close attention. But it is in the ballpark for August prices, do you think??

He says that he will only go this one time and won't be back (don't we all say that?) so he wasn't too interested in an AP, but we'll see.

Keep the ideas coming! Maggie

 

[maleficent1959]

If he doesn't want to do the water parks, the annual pass is less than the 10-day or 30-day option. If he wants the water parks then go with the 10-day pass. The cheapest option is going to depend on what he wants to do.

You're a good sister-in-law for doing this.

The Dining Card also gets you free valet parking at the resorts when you go for dinner. I think getting the card is worth it if you think you will save more than $75. Even if he never goes to Disney again

 

[A Mickeyfan]

August rates are usually in the same range as the ones posted thru 7/4 except for the Deluxe. Deluxe rates drop a little more after 7/5. Mod's & Value's stay much the same.... hope this helps you.... I didn't want to sound harsh saying it the way I did....but there is nothing worse than planning your budget and then finding out you did it on the wrong figures....