I'm ready to book our trip but I'm SCARED!

[donnadoesdisney]

Ok, first off let me explain that I am a newbie and this is my 1st time staying at Disney. I think I have found a pretty good deal but I wanted to come to the experts to see if I am missing anything. We have a budget of $1100 so this is what I have come up with. PLEASE let me know if I can get any further discounts.

5nights/6 days at Pop Century in standard room
Free Dining Plan
4 days of tickets (no park hopper as we have small kids=too hard)
We are planning on taking full advantage of the Magic late night hours.
I took no insurance because we have it covered on the credit card.

Total: 1,025.00

I saw an offer for a Disney Chase credit card with $40 reward- do you think it is worth it to apply? Are there any other offers like this?

Please give it to me straight...
Thanks!!!

 

[eliza61]

My only concern is your budget of $1100. Is this including incidentals? Even though your on the meal plan what about drinks and such in the park? You didn't mention when you are going?

 

[donnadoesdisney]

The $1100 was just for the hotel and attractions.
I'm well aware Disney will be much more expensive. Right now I'm just trying to cut costs on the hotel and attractions.

TIA

 

[maddhatir]

how about AAA? you get a discount off of your room portion.

how many of you are going?

 

[magicaldisney]

Money spent on tipping adds up pretty quickly.

 

[Step]

As I understand it, the dining plan includes tips for meals at least (Built in 18%)

 

[fancythemouse]

That sounds like a great deal! Then again our trip cost close to 4g but thats our family of five. Free dining plan? Sounds awesome.

 

[lady_hlh]

We paid around 1250 for 7 days/6 nights at the Pop during free dining for three of us in one room with park hoppers for 6 days so your price sounds like the correct rate for the upcoming free dining promotion.

 

[byoung]

Relax with the free dining you have a good deal. Welcome to the DIS!!! Have a great vacation.

 

[dismama]

how about AAA? you get a discount off of your room portion.

how many of you are going?

You can not get the AAA discount and free dining plan, it is one or the other.

 

[BeckWhy]

I saw an offer for a Disney Chase credit card with $40 reward- do you think it is worth it to apply? Are there any other offers like this?

Well, I think that if you plan on going to WDW or buy a lot of Disney merchandise then it's beneficial. I only have the Disney Visa to use for misc food or souvies. You have to like use your rewards in like 7 years or something. Sometimes the Disney Visa offers special stuff which I have yet to take advantage of (well that's not true, I have gotten some coupons for DVDs that I have used).

Concerning your budget... Originally (before free dining) I had planned $1000 a person (two adults) and that included hotel (6 nights POP), food (only counter service), airfare ($200 per person), transfers, and park tickets (4 day nonhopper). That gave us only about $100 of souvie money (which for us is good because we've been so much that we don't really buy souvies).

Now with free dining our total came to $1300 which includes food, hotel (same as above), airfare, transfers, and park tickets (same as above).

I think your budget of $1100 is low. You still need transportation costs and some money for souvies (and trust me on your first trips its hard to resist buying stuff). The fact that your children are very little is beneficial because they won't want to buy everything they see. But you need to determine transportation costs and then figure another budget of how much you want to spend on souvies.

 

[MY02SLUGBUG]

I WOULD TRY AAA..... I JUST BOOKED THROUGH AAA ON MONDAY... GOT DINING PLAN ,DISCOUNT ON HOTEL ROOM, AND PARK TICKETS FOR ABOUT $200.00 LESS THEN BOOKING RIGHT THROUGH DISNEY.

 

[themudd4]

Yes you can book through AAA and save money, BUT you can NOT get both the room discount and free dinning. Even if you book with AAA I would still stick with the free dinning plan. You will save alot more in the long run. If your $1100 is only for your hotel and tickets...then I think you are doing great, and I would not worry about applying for the credit card. It is only $40 and you are already within your budget. If you want some ideas on how to save money once you get there check out the budget board. Dis members have some really good ideas and have put them to work.

I know you mentioned you had younger children so switching parks may be to hard...you may want to consider at least taking a mid day break...especipally if your planning to go to the EMH. Another little tip...make your ADR's as soon as you can to try and get the times you want. Also to help with time you can book caracter meals and not have to stand in lines to see and meet them.

 

[1800wdisney]

We booked the same thing but we got park hopper and free dining 5days 6nights (or the other way around) I would suggest deffinatly take the dining, its so worth it.

(Hope this helps but I think the other people basically said the same thing LOL.........BTW I love this site, every one is so helpfull and nice. Im glad I found this)

 

[donnadoesdisney]

Ok, Thanks everyone for all the info. I booked the trip that I described above. I made some dinner resv. Because I have small kids, I chose alot of character dinners.

9/21 arrive- hang out at pool. Dinner at Grand Floridian- 1900 Park Faire-Cinderella character dinner (1st seating)

9/22 Epcot- Le Celliar Steakhouse for dinner (Couldn't decide between this and Teppanyaki- hope I made the right choice)

9/23 Magic Kingdom-Crystal Palace- Winnie the Pooh character dinner

9/24 Magic Kingdom- Tony's Town Square

9/25 MGM- Hollywood & Vine w/ tix to Fantasmik

I'm not super happy about the Magic Kingdom meals but there wasn't much to choose from. If we left MK to go somewhere else, can someone suggest another restaurant on the dining plan?

TIA

 

[DisneyDadof3]

Good plan - you definitely want to spent two days at MK with small kids - this is the part they will enjoy the most. Enjoy!

Crystal Palace is great! Haven't eaten at Tony's, but have reservations in October. There are several good eateries that are not character/reservations types that are good. With small kids, these might be better options anyway.

Enjoy the trip!!!!!!!!!!! Relax, plan, have fun, hit the AC during the day off and on, use fastpasses, see the characters .........

 

[nurseypoo5]

Concourse Steak House is in the Contemporary, you can take the Monorail, or walk there from MK, and its supposed to be very good, and the Monorail a blast (and free ) Chef Mickey is at the Contemporary too.

 

[2trips06Mom]

Edit: never mind - I read the posts wrong - must be too early in the day.

 

[themudd4]

Ok, Thanks everyone for all the info. I booked the trip that I described above. I made some dinner resv. Because I have small kids, I chose alot of character dinners.

9/21 arrive- hang out at pool. Dinner at Grand Floridian- 1900 Park Faire-Cinderella character dinner (1st seating)

9/22 Epcot- Le Celliar Steakhouse for dinner (Couldn't decide between this and Teppanyaki- hope I made the right choice)

9/23 Magic Kingdom-Crystal Palace- Winnie the Pooh character dinner

9/24 Magic Kingdom- Tony's Town Square

9/25 MGM- Hollywood & Vine w/ tix to Fantasmik

I'm not super happy about the Magic Kingdom meals but there wasn't much to choose from. If we left MK to go somewhere else, can someone suggest another restaurant on the dining plan?

TIA

I am assuming Le Cellier is more for you and your DH. If you wanting to go with Character dining while in Epcot...Garden Grill is nice. The resturant moves and it is all you can eat, and great character interaction.
I would not miss Crytal Palace ...it is a must do for my family every year although we do breakfast.
Tony's Town Square...have only ate lunch there, not sure I would use a TS credit for it or not, but wouldn't say it is a bad choice. If your wanting to eat somewhere else in MK you could try Liberty TreeTavern dinner with Goofy. Or if your wanting to go somewhere else I would take them to Chef Mickey's @ the Contemporary Resort. You will get , , , , and I think Chiip and Dale.
Enjoy your Fantasmik dinner package. I believe this meal becomes a charater meal later in June s that will work well for you too.

 

[cjtorres]

Ok, Thanks everyone for all the info. I booked the trip that I described above. I made some dinner resv. Because I have small kids, I chose alot of character dinners.

9/21 arrive- hang out at pool. Dinner at Grand Floridian- 1900 Park Faire-Cinderella character dinner (1st seating)

9/22 Epcot- Le Celliar Steakhouse for dinner (Couldn't decide between this and Teppanyaki- hope I made the right choice)

9/23 Magic Kingdom-Crystal Palace- Winnie the Pooh character dinner

9/24 Magic Kingdom- Tony's Town Square

9/25 MGM- Hollywood & Vine w/ tix to Fantasmik

I'm not super happy about the Magic Kingdom meals but there wasn't much to choose from. If we left MK to go somewhere else, can someone suggest another restaurant on the dining plan?

TIA

for mk-Liberty Tree Tavern is the best