Money Saving Tips (flight, hotel, etc)

[DisneyDreamer08]

Hi everyone. I'm hoping someone here can contribute to my on going list of money saving ideas. A bit of back story, in recent years, I traveled to Disney in 2007, 2008, 2009 and Disney Land in 2010. At the end of 2010, our 1st daughter was born. Due to obvious new expenses, travel was put on hold. We were finally able to take her on her first trip this past Nov/Dec 2014 (the week after Thanksgiving). She was a few weeks shy of her 4th birthday. We all had an amazing time and my daughter still talks about Disney non stop and constantly asks when we are going back. I would love to go back sometime in 2016. I am currently pregnant with #2, due this Sept, and I think a trip would be better before she is mobile I am aiming for May 2016. Like our last trip, staying on a budget is an absolute must. I thought I would run through some things we did last time and see if anyone here has any further tips!

Flight- I checked several airlines, websites, etc and for our previous trip, we found Southwest to be the best deal. We booked directly through their website. Jet Blue, as well as sites like Expedia were always much higher. For our departure, we left at 6am because that was by far the cheapest flight of the day. It worked out great because we got to enjoy a half day at MK. I have since looked into Southwests rewards program but it looks like each person would have to take about 6 flights before earning a free flight. Any great rewards programs out there you use specifically for flights? The one mistake we did make was traveling Sat-Sun. Next time we will try to travel mid week to mid week as I've learned those flights are much cheaper.

Hotel- With budget in mind this past trip we stayed at Pop Century and we LOVED it. I am 99% sure we will stay there again. Too many positives to list and my daughter still talks about the Hippy Dippy Pool However, I recently came across a blog by someone who took out a Starwood Preferred Guest credit card specifically to earn points redeemable at the Swan and Dolphin. He was able to earn 4 free nights pretty quickly. Has anyone used this? Any opinions? I'm pretty sure I want to stay on property. There are just so many added benefits, I think its worth it in the long run. If you stay off property, sure it can be cheaper, but once you add in the cost of a rental car, parking each day etc, is it still really cheaper?

Tickets- better to buy a package through Disney or buy everything separately? We went the Disney route last time but I've heard it can be cheaper to say, buy your tickets through triple a and your hotel through Expedia. Has anyone done this? This just makes me nervous because if Disney offers a deal, I know you have to jump on it right away. If I hesitate to run various numbers, I worry I will miss out on a great deal.

Any other tips specifically for pre trip planning? I will hold off for on now for tips on spending less once you get there We used quite a few last time that worked wonderful for us. I am more concerned right now with what I should be doing ahead of time. Ideally, I am aiming for early May 2016. We want to check out the Flower and Garden Festival and hopefully miss the spring break crowds. Thanks so much!!!!

 

[TXDisney]

Flights there's no real bargains on, but Orlando is a pretty cheap flight relatively speaking. As for expenses try doing a value resort that'll fit the whole family. As for a booking tip if you book in advance here once the 2016 prices come out you only have to do $200 deposit then pay as you want. Trip only has to be paid off I believe 30 days prior to the trip.

 

[dreamfinder]

There are people that churn and burn rewards cards. It may or may not be a good way to save for your trip. You can often get enough miles during the sign up process to cover most of (or all of) the flight, or as you pointed out, some hotel stays, but you need to keep in mind the potential dings on your credit score for doing this. Check out some boards like Flyertalk to see how you can maximize miles/points. There are ways with some airlines/hotels to stack rewards on top of rewards to make it even better, but aren't for everyone.
Bottom line on cards - if you have decent credit, and pay yours bills off each month, you should be using one to get something for nothing. If you carry a balance, then a rewards card may not be for you.

Airlines are a funny beast. Southwest may or may not still be cheapest, their prices have been creeping up and what used to be non stops are non frequently becoming connection flights. It's always worthwhile to shop around. Check both sites like kayak and skyscanner as well as the airlines themselves. Especially with Southwest, their cheapest tickets don't always show up on 3rd party sites. And don't be afraid to shift your travel by a few days. Many tools allow you to select flexible dates, or view a calendar to see when prices are lowest. And don't be afraid to select the "Nearby Airports" option when searching. Jetblue flies from 3 airports with an hour drive of my parents, and the cost for similar flights can vary by a few hundred dollars. Look into the rewards program for the airline, and know how it works. Many of them are making it a worse deal for the average flier (IE more flights to get a free one or giving rewards based on what you paid not where you flew)

Tickets - 3rd party, 3rd party, 3rd party. Places like Undercover Tourist can save you enough to pay for a meal The main potential downside to this is if you are going to try to do free dining, as that would require you to buy a ticket as part of your hotel. Packages cost pretty much identical to if you priced it all out individually through WDW, so unless you need to do a package for a discount like free dining, keeping them separate almost always wins.

The key to benefiting from almost all of the rewards type programs is to pick one and stick with it. If you are going to try for free flights on Southwest, figure out everything you can do throughout the year to benefit. Get their credit card, buy things through their website, etc. If you want to go for Starwood, ditto. Bouncing from place to place leaves you with a stack of cards with not enough points/miles on any of them worth doing anything with. So if you can book a Starwood property throughout the year to get enough points to stay at the Swolphin, great, use their program. But if you bounce all over the place, you may do better with something like hotels.com, book 10 nights get 1 free at any participating property (basically they give you 10% of each booking so doing your 10 stays at a $70 hotel only gets you 1 night at a $70 hotel).

 

[SeanWM48]

i never get a deal on the flight but i do go for the earliest available like stated in the OP. not only will you find it to be a little cheaper but you're buying more time on property. sleep on the plane or drink a heck of a lot of coffee upon landing (not before takeoff!) and you'll be good to go. the rush of getting to DW and exploring will keep you awake the rest of the day anyway. or get a nice nap in mid-afternoon so you can stay up late. totally worth it and saves some bucks.

 

[Disnee4Me]

If you are good about paying off credit cards monthly (full balance) you can earn Disney dollars on the Disney Visa or if you have a BJs wholesale, you can earn Discover $$$ and cash them out when you buy the Disney gift cards there. My newest statement shows I have $900 on my Discover. I am aiming for $1000 and then I will go to BJs, buy 10 $100 gift cards and pay $960 ($4/off each card). That's $1000 in gift cards for free!!
p.s. Best wishes to you on baby #2!!

 

[Figgy1]

If you have a Target charge card you get 5% off on Disney gift cards. We buy them and go straight to customer service to pay it off (no interest). Sam's club has $150 worth of gift cards for $142.98. Gift cards can go towards a room, package, dining etc. AAA and undercover tourist have discounted tickets. As far as a dining package, check out the menus and do the math to see if it's worth it.

 

[Disnee4Me]

If you have a Target charge card you get 5% off on Disney gift cards. We buy them and go straight to customer service to pay it off (no interest). Sam's club has $150 worth of gift cards for $142.98. Gift cards can go towards a room, package, dining etc. AAA and undercover tourist have discounted tickets. As far as a dining package, check out the menus and do the math to see if it's worth it.

However, you have to pay for the gift cards. When I get up to $1000 reward dollars on my Discover, I'll buy the gift cards, and then when the bill comes in, I will transfer the $1000 to my checking account and pay it off. FREE. Free is good, right???

 

[Figgy1]

However, you have to pay for the gift cards. When I get up to $1000 reward dollars on my Discover, I'll buy the gift cards, and then when the bill comes in, I will transfer the $1000 to my checking account and pay it off. FREE. Free is good, right???

Our cash back gets deposited directly into the checking account. Free is better!

 

[DisneyDreamer08]

These are great tips everyone, thanks so much! The credit card thing does scare me a bit. I have a Disney Visa, and have for several years.I stopped using it for a period of time though because if you get behind, the interest charge is far more than any Disney dollars you earn. I am still really intrigued by the Starwood card though and will probably look into it more. And I agree that it is hard to really find a deal on flights. Does anyone know if there is any time of the year (specific month, week etc) that it is historically cheaper to fly into MCO? I read an article recently that May is the cheapest month (perfect for our current plan). Can any frequent visitors back that up?

 

[DisneyDreamer08]

Oh and great tip with the Target red card. I have known about that for awhile but have never used it. My husband and I have been working really hard in the last 5 years or so to eliminate all our debt. So I actually do not use a credit card anymore. Strictly cash/debit only. I still have my Disney Visa but rarely use it. So I was hesitant to open up the Target card. May be worth it though, just for the Disney gift card savings.

 

[Figgy1]

Oh and great tip with the Target red card. I have known about that for awhile but have never used it. My husband and I have been working really hard in the last 5 years or so to eliminate all our debt. So I actually do not use a credit card anymore. Strictly cash/debit only. I still have my Disney Visa but rarely use it. So I was hesitant to open up the Target card. May be worth it though, just for the Disney gift card savings.

Just make sure you can pay it off!

 

[DisneyJoe]

you only have to do $200 deposit then pay as you want. Trip only has to be paid off I believe 30 days prior to the trip.

- MYW Package - $200 deposit, balance due 45 days before arrival
- Room only - one nights cost plus tax as deposit, balance due at check in.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

There are people that churn and burn rewards cards. It may or may not be a good way to save for your trip.

"I got rich by shrewdly managing my Discover points," said no rich person ever.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

As for a booking tip if you book in advance here once the 2016 prices come out you only have to do $200 deposit then pay as you want. Trip only has to be paid off I believe 30 days prior to the trip.

You can book now if you call. You don't have to wait "for prices to come out." I have a room only reservation for 1/23 to 1/30.

 

[Chernabog75]

If you live somewhere near where Spirit Airlines fly i would consider getting their credit card. After your first purchase you receive 15,000 miles. While that doesn't sound like a lot you can get a roundtrip ticket for 5,000 per person in the off- peak seasons (early May is off-peak). Depending on how early you book all it would cost is $11.20 per person with the miles. I have flown Spirit the past 6 years and have had only one "bad" experience with a lengthy delay. Going again this year for Halloween and purchased 5 r/t tickets for 25,000 miles + $56.

 

[SteveW]

You might also consider Southwest's credit card. They've been running a sign up bonus off and on for while, spend x amt of dollars within 2-3 months, get 50,000 bonus points.

 

[BigRedDad]

OK, here is what you are going to be facing and ways to save money.

1. Flights: You are going to be stuck with whatever the airlines are charging. You can scour looking around and waiting for the best fares available. If you want to rack up points, get a Southwest credit card. Most of the time, new cardholders get 2 free round trip tickets. If you don't have one, this is a pretty good option to think about.
2. Onsite/Offsite: Offsite, you can get insane deals. In many cases, better than deluxe accommodations for the price or less than a Value resort. However, this has its own issues of needing a car and an AP for free parking. It is still cheaper than anything on Disney property, but not for everyone. Onsite, there are deals to be found. However, there are MUCH better deals if you search. DVC and RCI renters can get you in DVC resorts cheap. Since it is only 2 adults and 2 children, you can even get by with a DVC studio. Our recent deals are $500 for Wyndham Bonnet Creek 2BR Deluxe for 7 nights, $1200 for a 1BR Boardwalk Villa Pool View for 7 nights, and $1250 for a 1BR SSR for 7 nights. All are almost the same price or less than a Value resort. RCI renters getting Disney DVC resorts is the best of all deals. RCI renters put the room in your name. Once done, they can no longer access the reservation. This is one thing you would have to worry about renting from a DVC member. If booked by a DVC member, you have absolutely no rights or control over the reservation. The DVC member could cancel your vacation the day before the trip. You are out the money, have no one to argue it to, and would be stuck trying to file suit to recover.
3. Tickets: Not much you can do here. There are some sites that you can save a little (Undercover Tourist?). You can look at that as an option. Another way to save some is to buy Disney Gift Cards through Target using Target's credit card. I think there is a 5% savings. 3 tickets at about $1000 is a $50 savings. Not much, but something.

 

[BigHero4]

Like the OP, I've been trying to find as many ways to save as possible for our next Disney trip. So far my scheme looks like this:

- Go to raise.com to purchase target gift cards at largest discount I can find... so far that is 6.9%
- Use the Target Red Card to buy any additional Disney gift cards at 5% off
- Use DVA account and deposit Disney gift cards. Then deposit monthly amount of $10 to credit card to start account. This way we can get the $20 per $1k from DVA.
- Pay off credit card in full to get the points from MasterCard, which would equal about $50.

As my Disney sickness grows, I'm starting to second guess if the headache of dealing with gift cards is worth the roughly $300 in savings?? Thanks to everyone for sharing your tips...

Good luck @DisneyDreamer08 ! I know there are a ton of other threads out there about this same topic.

 

[Weather_Lady]

Our flights are one of the most expensive components of our trip. I have a JetBlue AmEx that I use for everything, pay off in full every month so there's never any interest charges, etc. My monthly charges aren't huge, but they're enough to earn us enough points for one free roundtrip flight to Orlando per year. I also book our flights the moment JetBlue releases fares for our dates (in other words, when the prices -- whether in dollars or points -- are at rock bottom.) So if we go to WDW once every 2 years on average and the lowest-fare flights cost about $300/pp, we're saving over $500 through my JetBlue rewards points (the $600 value of the two free flights, minus the 2 $40 annual fees I'd have paid for the card).

Our other big money saver is to take the kids out of school so we can fly/stay more cheaply during lower crowd times of year, and not during their school vacations. The difference in onsite hotel cost alone can be 30% or more (and that's just the difference in rack rates, without the added discounts you often see during lower-crowd times of year), between peak seasons and regular or value seasons -- saving you several hundred dollars at minimum.

 

[Figgy1]

My dh packs lunch and puts the difference in our Disney jar.