More for Less: A Theme Park Planning Strategy

[SmithSmith]

This thread was opened under "Theme Park Attractions and Strategies" as a strategy to derive more (Theme Park Attractions) for less (Strategy). To keep it on topic and relative to this board, the definition of "more" is being able to do "more" in more parks each day for "less" cost.

If you want to debate whether or not it's cheaper to eat comparably off-site versus on-site and whether those savings are real or imagined, let's open that thread on the food boards rather than derail this one.

You consider this derailing the thread?

Would you rather us go back to what was we being discussed on pages 4 & 5? If so, my recommendation for a cheap meal would be Tijuana Flats.

 

[MrInfinity]

...

 

[Laketravis]

Alright, I'll bite. Yes, a char meal runs approx. $37x3+$17x3, which is more or less $200 for us ($150+tax+tip). Great.

So I currently have planned (very rough / early)...
CRT. This is 2 points. But, we're going with a family that hasn't been since the adult was about 5, and I think it would be neat to take her (and kids) to a special dinner in the castle w my dd who loves princesses, while she is still 6, after having been to BBB that day, and visited A&E thanks to FP+.

Then, we've planned the Biergarten, because our ds loved the ambiance and the feeling like you're outside when you're really inside so much that when asked if he could pick any one restaurant to do on the upcoming trip, he picked that. Noted, we're doing one for him cuz he's getting older, and had an opinion and liked it.

Then, we're doing the Luau (2 pts), because we're going w same said family who stayed at the Poly w me as kids... we're talking 5 and 9'ish. And today, we're re-living staying at the Poly and bonding over it being the first time she's been back since childhood, and so we want to enjoy the Luau. I know it's not an authentic Luau, I've been to Hawaii. But it's still fun and even I haven't done it since 2010.

Then, our last point is on Ohana, which is one of the most hotly spoken-of restaurants on the Dis. Done it twice for breakfast, loved Stitch, loved the heck out of it both times, and now we see its dinner menu and want to try it, again, cuz we're staying at the Poly. It looks REALLY good, even tho it's majorly expensive. It will be so nice to walk home from the Ohana or Luau right to our room, stopping by the beach to watch wishes or the water pageant on the way.

Now we're going for 7 nights, and we have one point left. This point can be spent on the Y&Y, which we'll hit up cuz we loved it last time. Or, it can be spent at the San Angel, which we haven't tried in 3 years, despite every time saying "we should try that, because it's awesome in here, and reminds us of the Blue Bayou in DL (a personal favorite) how it looks out over the boat ride". So what we'll probly do is just spend the "point" on whichever happens to have a more expensive entrée, and pay cash for the other.

We also have 2 nights at LEGOLAND planned, and 2 nights of transition during which we plan to enjoy some combination of offsite things for cheaper. I'm debating this... maybe the go-karts / gatorland, maybe the rope bridge place, maybe DQ, or maybe BB weather permitting, cuz our tickets include a freebie DQ or waterpark. We may eat at the lighthouse lobster place you spoke of, or it may be the Bluezoo in the Dolphin, where we're staying for free (points) for these couple days and could get childcare as part of our dinner.

So. Tell me where you'd save us money, while not sacrificing the experiences that are valuable to us, or substituting something mundane like "Chilis" which we don't even do much at home cuz it's kind of boring and expensive for what you get in a day-to-day-life regard. We're staying at one hotel (LEGOLAND) because we are LEGO fanatics. We are staying in a second because it's free (Dolphin) and then our real vacation starts when we check in at the freshly renovated Poly for a week. All up, our trip is almost 2 weeks, and it spans hotels from our absolute favorite hotel in the world (Poly) to one we think we'll love (LL) to one we are doing because it's free (Dolphin), and doing so lets us pick up a little longer stay, and a few days to peddle around. Once we park at the Poly, we will not touch our car for a week, and that's important to us.

This is all "Disney dollars". I plan to get at a minimum 7% off everything.

Where would you sir save us money.
Note, I took your challenge and posted what you requested. Maybe consider doing the same yourself.

Points? You're doing the DDP? And what .... no spreadsheet? Beyond the first sentence I don't see any hard numbers. That makes sense though because you aren't thinking in cost, you're quantifying everything in emotional value and with that you don't appear to be flexible. In other words your post reads like "Here, help me but I won't let you".

 

[MrInfinity]

Points? You're doing the DDP? And what .... no spreadsheet? Beyond the first sentence I don't see any hard numbers.

As expected, one-liner response to something I put 20 min into sharing w you. And yes, I have a spreadsheet. I wouldn't buy the DDP if it wasn't a savings for the dining we want.

 

[ArmchairDetective]

Regardless, this thread was opened under "Theme Park Attractions and Strategies" as a strategy to derive more (Theme Park Attractions) for less (Strategy). To keep it on topic and relative to this board, the definition of "more" is being able to do "more" in more parks each day for "less" cost.

Then your theory would not work as you are spending time commuting to restaurants and other parks, thus reducing your time that you could be on attractions and in shows. Therefore, you are doing less?

I can drive my car in to Disney, pitch a tent for $50/day, bring a ton of groceries, and not spend a nickel in the park. My option is cheaper than yours.

I guess I'm just not sure what you are getting at.

 

[Laketravis]

As expected, one-liner response to something I put 20 min into sharing w you.

Now you're starting to feel where I've been coming from. Except I put days into mine. Sucks, huh?

 

[ArmchairDetective]

And yes, I have a spreadsheet. I wouldn't buy the DDP if it wasn't saving us money.

http://www.distripplanner.com/ is a great way to determine if you will.

Although, it is very common that the DDP will never save you money. You may think you are getting more value, but you are rarely saving money.

 

[MrInfinity]

http://www.distripplanner.com/ is a great way to determine if you will.
Although, it is very common that the DDP will never save you money. You may think you are getting more value, but you are rarely saving money.

I've found that site to not be particularly useful. Allears is the best, IMO, for dining prices.

 

[Laketravis]

Then your theory would not work as you are spending time commuting to restaurants and other parks, thus reducing your time that you could be on attractions and in shows. Therefore, you are doing less?

What if the drive time is less than the time it would take to stand in lines yet I'm able to do more attractions.

For instance:

Waiting in 8 lines at 30 minutes each = 240 minutes
Waiting in 10 lines at 15 minutes each + 45 minutes drive time = 195 minutes

If that were possible, would it make sense? And if I could even eliminate some line wait time by scheduling events in such a manner as to coincide with attractions that have no lines (fireworks, parades), wouldn't that be a bonus?

 

[MrInfinity]

Now you're starting to feel where I've been coming from. Except I put days into mine. Sucks, huh?

Um. What sucks? You asked me to engage you in telling you what I found, and in return, you'd tell me how I can save money while getting the same experience. I did my part....

On the flip side, I asked you to tell me on your thread about how to get more for less how you propose getting more for less, and you refuse.

 

[ArmchairDetective]

What if the drive time is less than the time it would take to stand in lines yet I'm able to do more attractions.

For instance:

Waiting in 8 lines at 30 minutes each = 240 minutes
Waiting in 10 lines at 15 minutes each + 45 minutes drive time = 195 minutes

If that were possible, would it make sense?

Faulty logic. You still have to factor in where you are in the park when you complete the "last ride." How long does it then take to walk out of the park, bathroom before drive, get to car, drive, park, walk into new park, get to next ride.

 

[ArmchairDetective]

For example, I rope dropped MK in Oct, was 10th in line to get on 7DMT, went to Peter Pan, Haunted Mansion, Splash, BTMRR, Pirates and Tiki Room. I finally "burned" my first FastPass at Jungle Cruise, and then had a FP lunch at BOG. No lines at any of the aforementioned. After lunch hit Little Mermaid, Buzz, and Space Mtn. Rode the People Mover more than I can count. Saw the Philharmagic, rode the Carousel, and followed the 3PM parade out. I did a ton. Almost all of the park! It's all in how you tour and staying one or two rides ahead of the crowd.

 

[Laketravis]

Faulty logic. You still have to factor in where you are in the park when you complete the "last ride." How long does it then take to walk out of the park, bathroom before drive, get to car, drive, park, walk into new park, get to next ride.

I believe I've accounted for all of that in the first post. I'm no stranger to the parks and how long it takes to get from point a to point b. That's why I think that one transit branch (say, AK to dinner) isn't much more going 15 minutes off-site than it could be to go from AK to Chef Mickeys. And the next transit branch (off-site dinner to USO to next attraction) could be the equivalent of waiting in line for one attraction at WDW (>45-60 minutes) but puts us in a park with a higher number of lower wait time attractions.

Could be completely different. We'll see.

 

[Laketravis]

For example, I rope dropped MK in Oct, was 10th in line to get on 7DMT, went to Peter Pan, Haunted Mansion, Splash, BTMRR, Pirates and Tiki Room. I finally "burned" my first FastPass at Jungle Cruise, and then had a FP lunch at BOG. No lines at any of the aforementioned. After lunch hit Little Mermaid, Buzz, and Space Mtn. Rode the People Mover more than I can count. Saw the Philharmagic, rode the Carousel, and followed the 3PM parade out. I did a ton. Almost all of the park! It's all in how you tour.

Yeah, I hear you. But we're talking spring break now.

 

[ArmchairDetective]

And the next transit branch (off-site dinner to USO to next attraction) could be the equivalent of waiting in line for one attraction at WDW (>45-60 minutes) but puts us in a park with a higher number of lower wait time attractions.

What attraction are you waiting 45-60 minutes for and why? I guess that's my question. There's just no reason to do that.

 

[ArmchairDetective]

Yeah, I hear you. But we're talking spring break now.

I'll be there 3/12-3/19 and plan to not wait in a single line.

 

[Laketravis]

You asked me to engage you in telling you what I found, and in return, you'd tell me how I can save money while getting the same experience..

You've pre-loaded your narrative with non negotiable "experiences". You didn't provide cost details, you provided emotional justification.

 

[ArmchairDetective]

As someone said previously, it sounds like a great "Central Florida" trip. When I go to Disney, though, I enjoy the immersion. I am curious to hear your feedback when you go. Either way, have a great time!

 

[Laketravis]

I'll be there 3/12-3/19 and plan to not wait in a single line.

Oh, now I've GOT to hear how you're going to do that. In fact, I'll also be there from the 6th thru the 21st so I can even be present to witness!

 

[SmithSmith]

Now you're starting to feel where I've been coming from. Except I put days into mine. Sucks, huh?

How is that even remotely the same? You are actually benefitting from your "days" of work since you're just posting your travel plans for your upcoming trip. What does Fuzzy get out of this?