planning a trip to WDW?

[sam_rogers]

After countless trips to disneyland paris, my bf and I have decided it might be time for a trip to Florida and WDW I have no idea where to start planning this holiday, what do you recommend as the cheapest way to do it?

I've been on the DLP board quite a lot but never ventured over to the trip planning forum and I would be grateful for any information you could give me about planning a trip to WDW

 

[OrlandoMagic]

Hi, and welcome to the Trip Planning forums!

What you need to do first is ask yourself the following questions...

What time of year would you like to visit? If you are looking at a cheap as possible you are best going at off peak times of the year such as Jan-Feb or Aug-Sept (avoiding any US holidays as this will bump prices up).

How long would you like to stay for? 14 nights, 21 nights?

On-site or Off-site? Normally you will find off-site much cheaper but sometimes you can get a great deal staying at Disney (or Universal). Maybe you might want to do a split stay?

Do you want a package holiday or create your own? I find creating my own holiday (booking flights, accomodation, tranfers seperately) to be much cheaper than package holidays but sometimes you can find a good deal on a package.

Answering the above questions will give you a good foundation to then go on and find the best deal for you.

 

[torsie24]

Hi Sam!!

I am currently learning the joys of WDW compared to DLRP!

Prepare to have your mind blown by the amount of choice you have!!

So far in my research I have found:

For staying on site (which we will be as I'm scared fo driving yet!)

Cheapest way to book is disneyworld.co.uk

BUT - I am going in September and they will be offereing free dining plan for people who book in March on the US site, so I am going to wait and compare.

Much much much cheaper to get your flights separately, best I've found so far (direct adn flying into MCO as then you can take advantage of the free disney bus service) are about £290 with Virgin.

---

Have a play around with the co.uk and .com sites to get familiar with the different resorts and parks and stuff.

All the people over here (some familiar faces!) are very knowledgable about everything WDW (me not included!)! So ask away!

 

[wifey]

Hi and Get your hands on a good guide book or two, I've just ordered a new Passporter 2009 but Brit's Guide to Orlando is a brilliant book too. Other posters will be able to advise on other books you may be interested in.
Browse this site it's full of great advice and lovely photos you name it you can usually find an answer to any questions here on Disboards. You can navigate from the main page and post searches in the box at the top right of the header. Have fun

 

[torsie24]

Oh yeah!! The passporter looks like the funnest (i looooove to plan) thing ever!

I so want one!

 

[MrsTigger]

When the idea of a WDW trip came up in our house I felt abit overwhelmed as there's far more to think and choose from then planning a DLP trip...I've got the Brits Guide to Orlando and the Unofficial guide to WDW books and there both brill- very helpful!

BUT - I am going in September and they will be offereing free dining plan for people who book in March on the US site, so I am going to wait and compare.

I'd be looking to go when the free dinning plan is on too, when on the co.uk site had the offer on it was saving us about £600 so I dont know how that compares with the US site.

 

[wifey]

Oh yeah!! The passporter looks like the funnest (i looooove to plan) thing ever!

I so want one!

My 2007 edition is getting worn out so I had to have a new one It's been very useful and full of great reviews and there's info on the Disney resorts and restaurants in it too. Well worth the £9.23 price DH paid on www.amazon.co.uk He took the hint it's never far away from me, the extras alone are great additions like the maps you can take out of the book and slip into the organiser pockets at the back also great to keep your ADR info in. Just pop one in your day bag for the park and off you go, you'll just need to grab a show schedule at the entrance for parades and fireworks times Sorry if I seem a little crazy I just to plan holidays

Um we are going during "free dining" but it was only the CS plan they were offering for free but you needed a moderate hotel or deluxe we upgraded to the basic plan for £56 per adult and £14 per child fro a 14 night stay. Not a bad price and much better than £279.86 per adult and £83.86 per child we were originally quoted.

 

[torsie24]

Not crazy at all!! You sound jsut like me!!

Im tempted to get the deluxe passporter......what do you recon?

 

[wifey]

That's the one I've worn out but it's great there are pockets inside the covers to keep your planning stuff together. I have our booking reservation in one along with an old map of POFQ with the street names on it. There's plenty of space to keep things like your passports in it too oh and it should include a pen in it's holder so you never lose it when making notes and woking stuff out on the pages. Well worth the money.

 

[sam_rogers]

thanks for your help everyone! we're looking at going for 2 weeks at the end of june/beginning of july. At the moment were looking at either WDW, a week in Miami or 5 days in New York, but it looks like its going to be WDW!!! I can't wait to start planning properly!

 

[gemmybear83]

I love my passporter, and it was great to keep everything together - but I do collect all the gudie books annually - even when I am not going!

Don't forget to look at charter flights - firstchoice in particular give betten seat pitch than BA/virgin and have set back tvs, they sometimes do good flight offers - I have seen returns for £180-£200 only problem is they go into Sanford not Orlando.

I did my package all seperate - I booked BA flights online, hotel as the disney.co.uk, and tickets at attraction tickets direct.

I didnt bother with the disney dining plan because I couldnt eat that much food every day but it might work out cheaper with the exchange rate now

Oh and I remember you love the aerosmith rollercoaster at DLRP - the one at Hollywood studios is even better!

 

[sam_rogers]

Oh and I remember you love the aerosmith rollercoaster at DLRP - the one at Hollywood studios is even better!

lol its my favourite ride! i can't wait to try out the WDW version!

 

[wifey]

thanks for your help everyone! we're looking at going for 2 weeks at the end of june/beginning of july. At the moment were looking at either WDW, a week in Miami or 5 days in New York, but it looks like its going to be WDW!!! I can't wait to start planning properly!

DTD has it's own fireworks show on 4th July we saw them from our hotel (AS Movies) they were awesome the parks do get busy that week from around three day before when lots of folks arrive. MK was decorated in bunting and flags to celebrate the day and there were lots of special plush toys and pins all over the place and we even saw special hats too. As long as you prepare for the queues it's a great time to visit and the folks will tend to be friendly too.

 

[Elise79]

thanks for your help everyone! we're looking at going for 2 weeks at the end of june/beginning of july. At the moment were looking at either WDW, a week in Miami or 5 days in New York, but it looks like its going to be WDW!!! I can't wait to start planning properly!

4th July is Independence day and everywhere will be VERY BUSY. The US schools also finish in June so although you are avoiding our school holidays theirs will just have started. We have done this and next time would make sure we left before 4th July as while it was great it was just too busy for us. We like September now as it quiet.

 

[sam_rogers]

i completely forgot about 4th of july!!! this is going to take some rearranging now, we might have to go over my 21st birthday which i wanted to spend at home but i suppose it'll be more magical lol

 

[torsie24]

i completely forgot about 4th of july!!! this is going to take some rearranging now, we might have to go over my 21st birthday which i wanted to spend at home but i suppose it'll be more magical lol

If you can avoid school holidays (US and UK) you will save yourself lods of ££ and lots of time queueing and stuff!

Why we are going in September.

Plus then I get more time to plan!!

 

[sam_rogers]

i've done a bit f pricing up and if we went from the 10th-24th of june booking tickets and hotel with the uk disney site staying at the all star sports resort and then booking flights separately with virgin it comes to £1559 for 2 adults. does this sound like a reasonable price?

 

[torsie24]

That's sounds an excellent price!!!

Is that including tickets?

 

[wideeyes]

sounds like a great price to me.

 

[sam_rogers]

That's sounds an excellent price!!!

Is that including tickets?

thats including the 14 day tickets as part of the 7 days free offer