For those who have been many times...

[soccer9miahamm]

Hi,
I have friend who seems to think that the only way one can go to Disney World is if they are quite wealthy. We have gone back and forth on this, and so I am calling on my WDWMagic friends for help. If you have been to Disney World multiple times (especially if you live a good distance from the World), please post with where you are from and the number of times you have visited WDW. If you have any other advice, that would be more than appreciated as well. Thanks for your help!

 

[conntom]

I am from Middle Island NY thats on Long Island I have been to WDW 24 Time
and Dec 7 will make 25 cant wait. Try a hotel on Hotel Plaza Boulevard like the
Best Western the rooms run about 90 dollars a night. Or if you have kids with
you you can try a Disney All star Movies or sports Hotel there OK and run about
82 dollars a night.

 

[angell1975]

We are in Central Ohio and since 1997, we have been there 6 times with trip number 7 planned for September. We are not wealthy, but budget and have everything paid for before we go so we don't have to worry about it. We stay at the Value resorts because all we do is sleep there anyway. It's all in what you want to do.

 

[Tinkrbell]

I have been to WDW 7 times & Im only 18. I went for both my 17th & 18th bdays and I paid for the majority of those trips myself. My family is by no means wealthy. My mom & I were talking about how people think WDW is so expensive the other day. We decided that most people are in "Sticker Shock" because the tv ads lump the room & tickets together. We figured that the trips we've taken to WDW aren't really all that more expensive than other family vacations we've taken when you figure in the price of a hotel room for 5 people, admission to whatever it is we're doing on the vacation, food, & transportation.

 

[aleshad01]

I have been to Disney 3 times. In 92 & 00 with my parent's & sister then in 2005 with my husband & daughter. Were going again in Sept. and can't wait!! :sohappy:

 

[disneygirl1]

I'm from NJ and have visited Walt Disney World 12 times, twice in the 1970's, and 10 times between 1997 and this year.

We spend the same or more on our weeks at the Jersey beaches than our weeks at WDW.

-Joe[/quote

I am from Philadelphia and I have been to the World every year since 2001, with my next trip in December, and I am by no means wealthy!!! I am only 26 and am able to afford trips for me and my family!

I could not agree with you more!!! My trips to the Jersey shore for a week cost the same if not more then my trips to Disney....

 

[DizFanatic]

While it may not be "dirt cheap" to go to WDW, there are many ways to get a bargain. There's All Star & Pop Century as many have stated, but also look for deals at wholesale clubs like BJ's & Costco. Also, AAA has regular deals. My friend drives down from NJ with his wife & 4 kids, which saves a ton of dough on air fare.

Ask for a fridge in the room & stop at the supermarket on the way. Stock up on non perishable snacks, water & juice boxes. Eat breakfast in the room (cerial & pop tarts work well) and take those snacks & water bottles into the parks. Of course, don't miss out on the mickey head ice cream bars. There's a wide variety of places to dine in wdw, and a wide $ range. The rood courts at the All Star & Pop are reasonable. Pecos Bill in MK is a favorite because you can get a good (real) burger for a decent price, and they have the free toppings bar. The hot dog place at the end of Main St. on the left side (I 4get the name) has huge wieners for a good price too. A character buffet, while not cheap, is a good way to fill your belly with great food, and have a fun time too.

If you fly down, then use Disney's free Magic Express bus service to your hotel & you don't need to rent a car because there's the free bus, water taxi & monorail on property that operates frequently and even 1 or 2 hours after park closing. As a side note, most off site hotels that have a shuttle will operate on a set schedule that may force you to miss nightime parades, events and fireworks. A BIG no-no in my book!

Buy a multi day ticket & save on the per/day park admission. If you're staying more than 4 days, the additional days (beyond 4) are dirt cheap, do that instead of the park hopper option.

You can sometimes get a great deal on Amtrak (we did one year).

 

[Damian31]

I am from the United Kingdom and I have been to the world 5 times before. Going again in September to stay at the contemporary. I am by no means majorly wealthy but I can afford to go once a year (and another vacation between that) this year went to Turkey.

if you do a bit of research you can see all of the Disney scene without spending a fortune...you just need to plan your visit and meal times etc before you go.

 

[scorp111]

Our trip in 2 weeks, will be our 12th since September 2004.

We do not fit in the wealthy category now, and we particularly didn't 4 years ago. Our first trip, we spent 2 nights on-site, and 7 nights in our in-laws timeshare off-site. I actually bought an Annual Pass for WDW before I had even stepped inside a park.

It was several trips before we started spending our entire trips on-site. We have now even used the dining plan twice (once free). We are now DVC members, so we will continue to visit in the future. We live in Virginia now, but during the last 4 years have lived in Canada (Twice), NC, and Virginia, so it isn't like we have ever lived "Close".

 

[ILOVEDISNEY]

About 100 days spent in the parks over many, many years. No need to be wealthy, but if you save for a couple of years you can have and do it all for a week.

 

[DisneyEverest]

I live in NJ and I have been to Disney World 7 times since our first trip in 2001. Also you dont have to be wealthy to go to Disney, trust me...

 

[manatee74]

1100 miles, and 13 trips and counting...

 

[maryszhi]

Hi,
I have friend who seems to think that the only way one can go to Disney World is if they are quite wealthy. We have gone back and forth on this, and so I am calling on my WDWMagic friends for help. If you have been to Disney World multiple times (especially if you live a good distance from the World), please post with where you are from and the number of times you have visited WDW. If you have any other advice, that would be more than appreciated as well. Thanks for your help!

i cannot even begin to count the amount of times I have gone. I have stayed only at wdw on property hotels( all catagories exc. for value, except for one time i slept over one night before i irish danced at epcot and magic kingdom) .
ways to save
dinning plan
aaa
value resorts
eat out side of the world
go during non peak season

if you frequent wdw alot and can afford to , join the dvc
but to the question about having to be rich. NOT TRUE!!!!!!!! There are so many ways to save, it can be quite affordable.
I must say I fell blessed at the amount of times i have been to disney and cherish the memories, and i will hopefully continue to go to disney and make more memoreis. but we must remember, not everybody can afford to go to disney, which is why i am so thankful.

 

[Disneykidder]

I am from NY and have been to WDW 7 times and DL once. I am NOT wealthy, by any means. I think if you save a little here and a little there, it CAN be done easily. For us, the bulk is airfare but you'd pay for that no matter where you vacationed.

I think what your friend needs to keep in mind are the different resort levels that make it affordable for any budget.


Hey Dizfanatic...the hot dog place name is Casey's.

 

[Craig & Lisa]

Calling in on this, since 1997 we have been 18 times with another in Aug. number 19

 

[Eyekimore]

I've been 40+ times. My DH and Mother-in-law have been 65+times.
You don't have to be rich- MIL is a former teacher. I'm currently a teacher. You just make choices. Disney is always one of them.

 

[DizneyPryncess]

Hi there :wave:

I'm from Pittsburgh, I've made every trip to WDW from here. I've been there about 18 times in my life, a few of those when I was a baby so that doesn't count.

If you want to do Disney at luxury resorts, with a week long hopper that doesn't expire - yes, it's going to be expensive.

However, you don't have to do Disney that way. There are many moderate resorts, as low as $86 a night (All Star Resorts, Pop Century). You can sign up for the dining plan, or even get free dining at certain points of the year if you have the Disney Visa.

You can buy a park hopper just for the days you're there, and utilize EMH's & ADR's to make sure you fit everything in in just a few days rather than 7 or 10.

Disney has a huge scale, for people with not a ton of money to people have loads of it. You just have to take a Disney trip within your limits. As a matter of fact, if you call them to help you plan your trip, they will even help you plan it in your budget. They're wonderful to deal with.

 

[elizs77]

I just returned last week from my 13th trip to the World. I live in NC, and it's about 540 miles. When I was a child, we often vacationed in Florida just north of Daytona, so it was very normal for us to drive over for a day or two or three. Now that I'm grown and married, my husband and I have taken our children twice. I've passed the Disney Fever along!

My only budget tip is that we fly. I know, I know, it doesn't sound like much, but we have flown for $99 pp (2006) and $125 pp (flew down two weeks ago) on Southwest. We drive 90 miles just so we can catch these rates! It's a lot cheaper for us to fly than drive.

 

[wvdisneyfamily]

I've been 40+ times. My DH and Mother-in-law have been 65+times.
You don't have to be rich- MIL is a former teacher. I'm currently a teacher. You just make choices. Disney is always one of them.

I'm a teacher married to another teacher and we manage to afford Disney trips. It's just choices.

By the way, Eyekimore, I know that you'll appreciate this. I looked at my students at 9 AM this morning as we were doing a comparison on The Lion King and Hamlet and said, "Guys, this time next month I'll be in the Magic Kingdom on my way to or in line for Space Mountain." They looked at me and laughed. It's definitely time for summer vacation, isn't it?

 

[EpcotGrl]

I thought this way as a young person...we were QUITE poor, so the first time I went was on a Girl Scout trip after graduating high school. We saved enough for hotel rooms and tickets by selling cookies--and we didn't make a heck of a lot off those cookies! So no, you don't have to be rich to afford a trip to the World.

Since then I've been back nearly every year and manage to easily afford it every time without being a millionaire! :animwink::wave:

 

[Miss Bell]

We're from Texas and we've been 12 times since 1999. Definitely not wealthy. I think you plan and save for the things you really want, and this happens to be something we really like to do.