single dad needs help - 2012

[spunkyboi]

hi, i am a single dad looking to take my daughter on a holiday of a lifetime to disney - orlando

I have never been so need help with

where is best to stay, where to book.. and flights etc

Virgin holidays have a 10% discount on but still working out to be nearly 4K!

anyhelp anyone can give really would help!

 

[dansyr2514]

You've come to the right place, I'd be happy to help with any questions as I'm sure everyone else would be too. However, my suggestion would be to go through dreams unlimited. If you give them a budget, I'm sure they will offer some options for you.

 

[jcb]

hi, i am a single dad looking to take my daughter on a holiday of a lifetime to disney - orlando

I have never been so need help with

where is best to stay, where to book.. and flights etc

Virgin holidays have a 10% discount on but still working out to be nearly 4K!

anyhelp anyone can give really would help!

to the DIS.

Are you from the UK? You might check out the UK trip planning forum for suggestions on prices. http://www.disboards.com/forumdisplay.php?f=47.

A WDW trip can be pricey even for us locals. If you are just starting your trip planning, I suggest you figure out what you really want to do to make this a special trip (listen to early podcasts and just read up on the disney tips and budget boards) and start asking for opinions.

I've taken a couple of Dad/Daughter trips, staying on and off property. In the end, where we stayed and what we did didn't really matter except that DD and I got to do fun things together. We had fun being in the parks but we had just as much fun going to dinner off property and having lunch in the back of my SUV parked in the EPCOT parking lot.

 

[spunkyboi]

hey dans, just checked the site and there is nothing there for 2012, unless no one else is booking this early?

 

[spunkyboi]

Hey thanks for your message jack, yes your right.. althou my daughter is a little princess and would love the whole WDW experience, I do want to do all sorts of other things, if anything so we can both have an amazing time.

I am from the UK, and if i start booking things now, i can at least start budgeting for everything.

thanks for your help again

 

[dansyr2514]

I think the rates for 2012 come out around august. You could probably get a general idea of pricing though by checking this year's rates on disneyworld.com. Some other options may be staying offsite or a split stay. If they offer free dining next yr, it may be worth it to stay part time on site. Any idea when you think u would want to go in 2012?

 

[*NikkiBell*]

You've definitely come to the right place! Be sure to browse the various boards here on the DIS especially the resorts area. You'll find a ton of solid information from Disney fans just like yourself. You might also want to look at the review area here on WDW Info. Everything from restaurants to resorts are covered. Last but not least, be sure to listen to the DIS Unplugged Podcast for timely information and dining reviews.

I hope you have a great visit!

 

[Disney Dad Canada]

Another suggestion might be to look into renting DVC points. You didn't mention the age of your child, but as a single parent myself, I'd have to say staying at a deluxe resort, such as Animal Kingdom jambo house, is well worth the $$ for the memories it makes. We spent an entire day resort-free, just doing all of the resort activities that jambo house has to offer.

 

[wishspirit]

Hey thanks for your message jack, yes your right.. althou my daughter is a little princess and would love the whole WDW experience, I do want to do all sorts of other things, if anything so we can both have an amazing time.

I am from the UK, and if i start booking things now, i can at least start budgeting for everything.

thanks for your help again

Hello fellow UK DIs-er, and welcome to the boards!

This is certainly the place to get all the Disney knowledge you will ever need. I recently found this website for UK dwellers, it seems to have some good deals for 2010! http://www.disneypackages.co.uk/ (it is an official Disney website). The British website seems to appreciate that Brits tend to book their holidays much further in advance.

For me it is all about priorities, I would highly recommend staying on-site for all the perks (at a Disney owned hotel) but if your budget can't stretch that far then there are plenty of other options. If you just use your hotel to sleep and have a nice pool, then any of the value resorts will do the trick. My favourite is Pop (but I haven't been to the others! I went once and fell in love). However if you want something a little bit roomier, then a moderate is your thing, I'm a big fan of Caribbean Beach. If you really can splash the cash, then a Deluxe is great!

I would also price out how much a package from Virgin will cost you vs. pricing it yourself, such as flying BA and buying the individual bits. I always use an excel spreadsheet to factor in the cost of flights, accommodation, food (if not part of a package), if you want to hire a car and park tickets. Sometimes it's cheaper to package, sometimes it isn't.

All my best, and if you need any help, just let me know!

Don't