mitchs said:
First time WDW Family Vacation planner. Been reading all of the boards and taking bits and pieces from each but ask you all for HELP!
What is the most economical way of planning this journey?
We will be leaving chicago for orland on June 6 and plan on returning June 11.
Should we boom thru
AAA and get the dining option wit Park Hopper? We will not go but every other year or so. Do we stay at the POP or music resort for the family suite rooms. I have 2 boys ages 7 and 8 who are ready to go NOW!
Which airline,
travel agency, tickets...
Thanks for your help.
MS
So many questions! I'll see if I can answer some of them.
Right now there are no discounted packages being offered by Disney for your dates. So, for the best price on a package, your best hope would be to go thru AAA.
The ticket types can vary, so it's a good idea to know what each option adds and how much it costs. Decide on the tickets before you request a quote. Hopping is a nice feature but it will add $40+ per ticket to the cost of your vacation. For 4 people, you may want to evaluate whether you feel that $160+ is worth paying for that privilege. And with the difference between the cost of a 6-day ticket and a 7-day ticket, I would go with the 7-day pass unless you are arriving very late or departing Orlando very early.
POP is the least expensive of the value resorts because it has a lower tax rate (11.5% vs. 13% for the AllStar Resorts). The new family suites look nice but keep in mind that a family suite will cost you more than double what 2 rooms at POP will cost. For a family of 4, especially with younger kids, a single room at POP would be the most economical choice onsite.
The dining plan can save you money if you planned to purchase a package anyway. The cost is $37.99/adult per night and $10.99/child per night. For your family, that means that dining would cost $590 for 6 nights. If you were planning to do character meals and/or sitdown meals everyday, you would easily spend that amount on food. If you're more likely to grab counterservice meals or split a plate of food between yourself and your kids, the dining plan is probably not worth it.
I'm unfamiliar with flights out of Chicago. But you're planning to travel during a busy time in Orlando, so the sooner you book a good airfare, the better. Sometimes, you can get your best airfare thru your package. Have your AAA TA price out the package with and without airfare. Use Sidestep.com to find what the current prices are for airfare from both Midway and O'Hare.
Good luck planning. You must be so excited!
