I am addicted to WDW

[peanutbutterfly]

Hello folks!

We had our first stay in Orlando from mid October to first week of November and now we are totally addicted to WDW and also Universal inlcuding the Horror Nights and also the people here. Currently we are planning our next trip for 2023. We think about going in Mid May or in September or in Mid October.
This time we stayed in a hotel in Kissimmee for WDW and then in a Universal hotel. We would love to stay in a Disney hotel, but the prices are horrendous. How can people afford this? Are there any tips?
This time Blizzard Beach was closed. We enjoyed Typhoon Lagoon, but would like to explore Blizzard Beach too. Are there dates when it will be open next year?

Will be happy for any tips/recommendations you have


-Katy

 

[Chi84]

Hello folks!

We had our first stay in Orlando from mid October to first week of November and now we are totally addicted to WDW and also Universal inlcuding the Horror Nights and also the people here. Currently we are planning our next trip for 2023. We think about going in Mid May or in September or in Mid October.
This time we stayed in a hotel in Kissimmee for WDW and then in a Universal hotel. We would love to stay in a Disney hotel, but the prices are horrendous. How can people afford this? Are there any tips?
This time Blizzard Beach was closed. We enjoyed Typhoon Lagoon, but would like to explore Blizzard Beach too. Are there dates when it will be open next year?

Will be happy for any tips/recommendations you have


-Katy

It would help to know how many of you there are. Any kids - what ages?

 

[JIMINYCR]

Welcome. Glad you’ve caught the Dis addiction like many of us. You’ll find lots of detractors on this site as well. Like any stay you save up and budget for the trip you want. Certainly off site is cheaper but you lose the feel and consistency of a WDW stay. For many that doesn’t matter, for us it’s an important part of our vacation. If it’s valuable for you then it’s worth saving for. The value resorts are more affordable and may be a better option for you. We’ve vacationed in May, Sept and late Oct. All those months were great for us. The MNSSHP was a great addition to that trip. Our stay at Uni onsite resort was also great and worth doing last year for the HHN event. Keep your eyes open for any discounts that may be coming in the future. Dis has been more challenging to save for as prices increase and policies added that make a trip less spontaneous …for those reasons many will tell you it’s no longer their vacationing spot. If you have found enjoyment there and find value in the entertainment , dining and attractions and desire to return you will find a way to make it possible.

 

[peanutbutterfly]

It would help to know how many of you there are. Any kids - what ages?

Only two adults

 

[Chi84]

Only two adults

The All-Star resorts are Disney's value resorts, and they're coming up at between $165 (All-Star Sports) to $200 (Music) for mid-May. They have a great deal of theming and are very nice places to stay. But if you can go higher, we love Caribbean Beach and the Port Orleans moderate resorts. We are Disney Vacation Club members and usually stay at the deluxe resorts, but I actually prefer some of the moderates. Because of the DVC part, I'm not the best resource on discounts - hopefully someone else can weigh in to help.

Our usual times are early May and late October. We used to go in September but we try to avoid that month now because of the chance of hurricanes/rainy weather.

Blizzard Beach should be reopening soon and should be open in May and October 2023. (At least I haven't heard otherwise). We love BB - lots of shade; very comfortable for a water park.

There are separate forums here to ask for tips or questions regarding specific things like restaurants, when and how to make reservations and just about every subject imaginable. The posters here can be very helpful!

 

[TJK5]

Hello folks!

We had our first stay in Orlando from mid October to first week of November and now we are totally addicted to WDW and also Universal inlcuding the Horror Nights and also the people here. Currently we are planning our next trip for 2023. We think about going in Mid May or in September or in Mid October.
This time we stayed in a hotel in Kissimmee for WDW and then in a Universal hotel. We would love to stay in a Disney hotel, but the prices are horrendous. How can people afford this? Are there any tips?
This time Blizzard Beach was closed. We enjoyed Typhoon Lagoon, but would like to explore Blizzard Beach too. Are there dates when it will be open next year?

Will be happy for any tips/recommendations you have


-Katy

Welcome.

We were in WDW in August and attended MNSSHP and it was great!
I would highly recommend it!
You are able to get into the MK at 4:00pm, but I would arrive around 3:00pm, as there was a large crowd waiting for the party.

We originally booked Pop Century but were able to splurge to the Grand Floridian. As for Pop Century, you are able to use the Skyliner, which gets you to DHS and EP. Also, you can access the Skyliner if you stay at the Caribbean Beach resort, as well.

How many nights are you planning to stay at WDW?

As for restaurants, we enjoy 50’s Prime Time at DHS.

 

[Smiley/OCD]

Welcome!!! I would also suggest the value resorts as well…we’ve stayed at All Star Movies but we always preferred Pop. If you’re REALLY hooked, there’s nothing quite like staying on property, in the “bubble”.
Many fans hate them, but I love riding on the buses, talking to people and just enjoying my vacation. As was said, if you stay at Pop, you’ll have access to the skyliner to HWD and Epcot.
Yes you can pay more, MUCH more to stay at mid and deluxe resorts, but if you’re going to just sleep at the resort, why waste your money??
Anyway, welcome to our crazy community, take all the negativity with a grain of salt, and make it your MISSION to find the awesomeness that is WDW.

 

[Weather_Lady]

Welcome! My two cents would be:

- If you're a party of two and want to save money in splurging on a deluxe hotel, look into the costs and pros/cons of renting DVC points and staying in a DVC studio. (Lots of information is available on the websites of reputable DVC go-between companies like David's Vacation Rentals and the DVC Rental Store.) Studios at Animal Kingdom Lodge (especially if you can get a value studio there), Boardwalk, Old Key West and Saratoga Springs tend to be particularly affordable.

- If you want to save money on a value or moderate hotel, try to book during a time period when room discounts are typically offered. (If a discount comes out after you've booked that applies to your room category, you can modify your booking to apply the discount retroactively.) Historical discount information here: https://www.mousesavers.com/historical-information-on-walt-disney-world-resort-discounts/

- If hotel prices are too high even with a discount and you are able to bring a tent or camper, consider staying at Disney's Fort Wilderness Campground. They have ample comfort stations with hot showers and laundry facilities, and the amenities are the same as for the onsite hotels: pool, restaurants, transportation to the parks, early park entry privileges, etc. (I have a big soft spot for Fort Wilderness: our trips to Disney when I was little were made financially possible only because the sites were particularly cheap back then, and we had an old pop-up camper we could tow down ourselves, with a little pull-out kitchen where my Mom prepared all of our meals, so other than a couple of Mickey ice cream bars, we didn't spend anything onsite on food. I have many wonderful memories of the time we spent there, and the wildlife -- like armadillos, which were new and exotic to us! -- we observed.)

- To save a little extra on tickets, buy them from an authorized reseller. Comparison tool here: https://touringplans.com/walt-disney-world/ticket-calculator

- For any monies you have to pay to Disney, take a look at your existing credit cards and wholesale club memberships. For example, I'm a BJ's member and I have a Discover card. If we have a trip coming up, then during the quarter of the year that Discover offers 5% cashback on wholesale club purchases, I buy Disney gift cards to cover vacation food/souvenir expenses at BJ's, which sells them at 4% off, so I net a 9% discount. It's not a huge amount, but every bit of savings helps.

 

[mf1972]

we just came back 2 days ago. we stayed at port orleans french quarter. great resort for couples. could cost anywhere from $300-320 a night maybe, depending on the time of the year.
we’ve stayed at the all star movies resort a lot in the past. cute resort. cheaper & well themed. rooms were recently renovated. all depends on your taste. and for what it’s worth, welcome to the nuthouse

 

[peanutbutterfly]

First thank you all for your kind and helpful recommendations

Yesterday we discussed how long we would stay and have decided we will stay for 3 weeks next year for WDW and we will also join a Disney cruise. I'm actually searching for the best itinerary and best ship.
I will book all of them in the next few weeks because the flights from European to the USA getting more expensive from week to week.

 

[peanutbutterfly]

I am still planing our trip to Orlando for 2023. We will stay 4 weeks, but I had to make a decision wheater we stay from mid May to mid June because some colleagues are at vacation before and after or anywhere between the beginning of September to the end of October. Which time will be better? We love high temperatures and would love to enjoy Blizzard Beach this time - will it be open in September?

I would appreciate every experience about this travel time

Thank you and have a magical day

Edit: Actually we have a tendency to September. We will stay 4 weeks and will split to two weeks Disney, two weeks Universal. For Universal we will book the Surfside Inn like last time. Like the area around and especiall the shuttle service. But for Disney it's really hard to find an affordable hotel for two weeks. We would love to stay at a WDW resort, because we will not have a car, but they are so expensive. Are there any tips for a hotel, maybe one that's not far off the WDW area so we can use lyft or why can I find good offers for the All Star hotels? The hotel for 2 weeks should not cost more than € 2000,-, cheaper will be better