should we do it???

[erynsmom]

I am dying to take my dd to WDW, but because of the cost DH and I figured it would be a couple more years before we could go. Last night I mentioned that she is free because she is only 2 and that WDW is offering free dining to go in September. This seemed to peak his interest.

I want to get some information together so we can figure out how much it would cost. Where do we start? I just don't know if I can pull it altogether so fast.

Help!

 

[disneydreamgirl]

I started by checking the prices for packages on the disney.com site and then checking flight costs. It's pretty easy and quick to put together rough costs quickly as long as you have an idea when you want to go. For flights we've used WestJet once and Southwest twice. We like Southwest because of the direct flights from Buffalo to Orlando. You don't need to have a car or account for travel costs from airport if you are staying on site because you can use Disney's Magical Express.

Basic costs are tickets, accommodation and dining, and flights.

Good Luck!

 

[canadaman]

Since you are in Burlington you could always consider driving as well. I don't know how well it would work with a 2 year old though.

 

[Tinkergirl1]

We live in London ON. We went in 2006 for the free dining and it was terrific. We are going back this year. It is definately a good deal. We fly out of Detroit and that is where you can usually get really decent flights. Try Spirit, Nortwest or Airtran. If you fly on Tues or Wed, it is a lot cheaper than flying on the weekends. If you are flexible you can save money. I have stayed at the ,moderate resort and the value. Don't be afraid to stay value. It's a great price and we loved it. If you have any other questions just ask. I get a price on the Disney site and then do a search on airlines. Play around with the dates and you might get a better price. I used a travel agent the very first time we went but have done it all myself the last few trips. We also park our car in Detroit at one of the park and fly hotels. It's usually about $99 to stay at the hotel overnight and to park your car for the week. You take the hotel shuttle to the airport in the morning.

 

[ferris198]

I lost my job one day, said hey who wants to go to Disney.
My son was 4, we stayed at POP Centurey and had a blast.

 

[scrap disney]

We also did Free Dining in August 2006 - with our 3 year old. We stayed at the Pop Century and had a great time! It was an excellent deal! We also flew out of Detroit - used Air Tran - so much cheaper than Toronto. Another airline to check is Southwest - they sometimes have good deals as well. We stayed at an airport hotel and did the Park n'Fly package. Just be sure if you are flying out of the US that you leave yourself plenty of time to cross the border - it can get pretty busy on the weekends.
Just be prepared - it is HOT in Florida in August. We went to the parks in the morning, went back to the pool in the afternoon, had a nap and then went out to enjoy the evening. The evenings were beautiful. Oh, and the crowds were much smaller than we were used to - we typically go during March Break and we couldn't believe how empty the parks seemed.
Good luck with your decision!

 

[erynsmom]

For those of you who fly out of Buffalo:

Do you stay in Buffalo the night before? If yes, where do you stay and is it inexpensive?

What time are your flights, generally? Do you fly in the morning going to WDW and later in the day coming home?

Is the airport easy to get to?

Is the airport easy to get around? I am a little paranoid in airports until I actually get on the plane - some fear of getting lost and missing my flight. LOL.

Thanks Everyone.

 

[mom22belles]

"Do you stay in Buffalo the night before? " No

"What time are your flights, generally? Do you fly in the morning going to WDW and later in the day coming home?"

[ No not always we prefer a direct flight mid moring both ways. We do not tend to do a park on our first day and we like to be able to get into our room when we arrive. So no need for any early moring flight unless it is the only direct flight avaiable

"Is the airport easy to get to?" Yes just print the directions from Canada off their website. Very easy to find and park.

"Is the airport easy to get around? I am a little paranoid in airports until I actually get on the plane - some fear of getting lost and missing my flight. LOL."
Heck ya I prefer it to Pearson. Very easy to find your way the have a couple of kids play stations with Fischer Price toys to keep the kids busy. the only thing that i don't like is the food selections ie.. not much to choose from and lots of money..
Nancy

 

[disneyfan2]

Buffalo airport is great, much easier then Pearson. Also, i prefer with kids to do the afternoon flight. Ususally fly at 12 then will be able to enjoy some park in the evening or do a dinner. It is great for kids to have a rest on the plane. I don't spend the night with kids, unless you have a early morn flight(which i avoid with young kids)

The only reason i stay away from Sept is for the heat, it gets very hot. And the kids won't like going if there are tornado warnings .

The value resorts are great for young kids. We thought our first trip would be a 1 time thing and cost a fortune. When we went last year found it to be much cheaper then caribbean vacation.

 

[pooksma]

Our first trip with DS was because he was still two and free. If you can swing it without breaking the bank then go for it!

 

[olivia's mommy]

We are going in September for free dining and our DD will be 18mos old. We also thought we would only be able to go when she was older but we are probably gonna start trying for another baby soon and we really wanted to go on vacation with our DD before other things started happening! We got an amazing deal with Aircanada but we are leaving from Ottawa. Check out Westjet too, they have a good promotion now, and CAA does as well. We are doing a split stay at a value and a deluxe. We have done moderate so we'll be able to compare all three afterwards! But I am already anticipating that we'll love the deluxe too much and have to splurge the next time we go! I really wanted to stay at the Poly or Contemporary to be on the monorail but it didn't work out.

I also have friends that have stayed at condos offsite and loved it. They could cook their own meals and had more rooms to sleep in and accommodate their toddler...just an option to consider but I know everyone else will recommend staying at one of the resorts!!!! Would probably be much easier with a two year old as well.

Good luck planning!