WDW newbie - best ways to save?

[Jaina]

We are moving to VA, so I guess our first Disney trip with kids in tow will be to WDW instead of Disneyland. This makes me nervous, because I know Disneyland like the back of my hand, but have only been to WDW once (in HS, with a group, so I did none of the planning). We are going to have to save for the next year and a half to afford it (hoping to go right before DD#2 turns 3 to save a little) and I am trying to figure out what it's going to cost.
So here are my specific questions:

Is it cheaper to do a package through Disey for tickets and room than booking them separately? (We already know ways to save on food with three little ones!)

The park hopper seems quite expensive; is there any reason we can't just add a day or two to our 5 or 6 day tickets in case we want to hit two parks in one day? (ie can we use a "single" day up twice in a day?) If not, is it pretty feasible to NOT park hop? At Disneyland/CA we do it several times during the day, but I know the parks at WDW are harder to go between with 3 little ones...

We are thinking about getting the Disney credit card before then. Is it that useful during a trip?

And are there some really good threads you can recommend to help me out with things like this? (cheaper times of the year, etc.? we're already hoping to go during least busy times. We don't mind taking the kids out of school...)

 

[Marionnette]

We are moving to VA, so I guess our first Disney trip with kids in tow will be to WDW instead of Disneyland. This makes me nervous, because I know Disneyland like the back of my hand, but have only been to WDW once (in HS, with a group, so I did none of the planning). We are going to have to save for the next year and a half to afford it (hoping to go right before DD#2 turns 3 to save a little) and I am trying to figure out what it's going to cost.
So here are my specific questions:

Is it cheaper to do a package through Disey for tickets and room than booking them separately? (We already know ways to save on food with three little ones!)

Sometimes. You really need to compare the costs. Sometime a package has added value that makes it a better choice. Sometimes the room only discount is too good to pass up.

The park hopper seems quite expensive; is there any reason we can't just add a day or two to our 5 or 6 day tickets in case we want to hit two parks in one day? (ie can we use a "single" day up twice in a day?) If not, is it pretty feasible to NOT park hop? At Disneyland/CA we do it several times during the day, but I know the parks at WDW are harder to go between with 3 little ones...

It doesn't work that way. If you want to visit two parks in a single day, then you need to add hopping to your ticket. You can alway choose to not hop as long as you are aware that if you visit a park that closes early (for whatever reason), you will have to do something else with your evening beside another park. And if you don't have hopping and you find yourself in a park that is really crowded, you will not be able to leave and visit another park that day.

We are thinking about getting the Disney credit card before then. Is it that useful during a trip?

During the trip? Only moderately useful. There's a free photo with a character meet and greet in Epcot that comes with showing your card. And you get a 10% discount at select Disney-owned stores throughout the resort when you use the card. I find that the card is most useful prior to the trip. There are discounts that cardmembers can book before the general public and the 1% that you get back in Disney Rewards Dollars can be used to pay for your package, room, tickets, meals and souvenirs.

And are there some really good threads you can recommend to help me out with things like this? (cheaper times of the year, etc.? we're already hoping to go during least busy times. We don't mind taking the kids out of school...)

There are so many threads scattered throughout the board that it would take me just as long to search for them as it will for you. The least busy times of the year would be right after New Years but before MLK day. the rest of the time, Disney has marathons, Flower and Garden, Free Dining, MNSSHP, Food & Wine and then the Holiday season is upon them again. Throw in a few Pop Warner competitions, Night of Joy, Grad Nights, Star Wars Weekends and Gay Days and you pretty much fill the calendar with events at Disney.

 

[mistysue]

If you want to stay onsite, our best deal by far has been when they've had free dining during value season. A value hotel for $85/night and it includes the QSDP- each person with tickets gets two meals and two snacks per day plus a refillable mug. You can either use snacks or pay for breakfast with cash, then lunch and dinner don't cost you OOP. We found the best part of the value to be that EVERY time one of the kids wants ice cream or a snack, we can just use the snack credit and get it. They got slushies, ice cream and pretzels whenever they wanted so there was almost no whining the whole trip when they say something shiny! A 12 day trip was $2,000.- all food, transportation and endless entertainment included.

 

[cglaura]

Also, with the park hopper, you don't have to buy it when you buy the tickets. You can add it anytime during your stay. It will cost the same though per ticket, whether added on day 1 or day 5. This way at least, you won't spend the money and then realize you could have done without it.

Here is a Codes and Discounts thread:
http://www.disboards.com/forumdisplay.php?f=93

Sign up for the newsletter of whatever airline(s) you might use, you may get savings alerts. Flying mid-week instead of weekend is usually less money.

The meals are large enough to share and you can get free ice water (in a cup) from just about most restaurants with your meal. You can ask for things individual too, you don't have to buy the combo up on the board...ie, just a burger, no fries (they usually don't have individual items listed on the board of course though, but if you ask you can get it most places..Electric Umbrella, Cosmic Rays, etc. type places). Adults can also order kid meals at counter service places.

Go to mousesavers.com and sign up for there newsletter. It comes out on the 15th of the month and will have a link to Undercover Tourist for discounted tickets. Not a huge discount, but the best I think there is. We usually get our tickets that way, then make a room only reservation at Disney when they have a special, like 20-30% off rooms type of thing. We never get the dining plan because we just don't eat that much, and spend less for two people per day than 1 person of dining plan.

Enjoy Sometimes planning is half the fun!

 

[Jaina]

Thanks guys, those tips are really helpful! Is there a specific time of year that is "value season," or is it a little different each year? I will definitely sign up for mousesavers!

 

[Marionnette]

Thanks guys, those tips are really helpful! Is there a specific time of year that is "value season," or is it a little different each year? I will definitely sign up for mousesavers!

In general, the value seasons fall during the time of year when the kids are in school. Late August thru early November, the first few weeks of Dec., early Jan.

Spring break changes every year because Easter does not have a constant date on the calendar like Christmas and Thanksgiving do.

Disney does fiddle with their seasons from time to time. They introduced a "summer season" a while back. And they have started to charge more for rooms on weekends than they do for week nights. More "holidays" were added to the calendar: MLK, Columbus, and Marathon weekends have higher rates now. You can check Mousesavers for a list of the rates for 2011 at value resorts. It includes all the holiday and weekend rates.
http://www.mousesavers.com/valueresorts2011.html

 

[Sagginit]

The biggest saving for me was free dining. As two adults we ate our trips worth of food (what all the bills would have cost us OOP was the total cost for our trip!). Both years I went in the fall to get the lower rate and free dining. There are also less crowds at these times of years so its a win-win. I would go to your local library and check out a few books to get the basics. You can then pick up tips on here for the little things. We also saved a lot b/c we flew out of a smaller airport with a smaller airline that my mother had a card for. This allowed us to get a special deal and saved us a ton even with baggage fees. Parking was also reasonable at the smaller airport so we skipped a car service and just left the car at the airport.

 

[mrsklamc]

Early January and early December are great times. Look into the YES program for cheaper tickets, your oldest should be big enough by then to enroll.

If you are willing to stay offsite, there is significant savings to be had there as well, especially after the youngest turns 3.