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Just Starting!
- Thread starter MeganMM
- Start date
SteveAZee
Premium Member
Megan,
Are you new to wdwmagic but familiar with Walt Disney World, or are you also new to the resort? You have plenty of time to come up to speed either way. I guess the basic questions would be:
- How many people (and what ages) will be going?
- How familiar are those going with WDW?
- How long do you plan on staying?
- How tight (or loose) is your budget?
Are you new to wdwmagic but familiar with Walt Disney World, or are you also new to the resort? You have plenty of time to come up to speed either way. I guess the basic questions would be:
- How many people (and what ages) will be going?
- How familiar are those going with WDW?
- How long do you plan on staying?
- How tight (or loose) is your budget?
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JIMINYCR
Well-Known Member
This site will give you plenty of info. There are others online to search through, many planning sites to offer planning ideas. If you have your dates in order then start deciding where you might want to stay. Onsite or off. Decide whether its important enough to you to be in the bubble which can be more expensive. Then how you are getting there. Flying or driving or other means. Start reviewing dining options and menus to see where is best to dine. Start figuring out costs of tickets and options for prices. Think about what extra events or tours you might want to add onto the trip. Set an affordable allowance for snacks and souvenirs. Look at the park details and list what attractions and shows you most want to get in on your trip. Start figuring out a detailed budget to save for thats realistic and affordable. Getting all those details in line will help you get started and then as time goes on start refining the details to improve what kind of trip you are wanting to do. Getting a good guide book... Unofficial Guide to WDW will also give you references to every aspect of trip planning.
When you get nearer to the time to book decide which TA you want to go with or if you want to do it yourself. Some prefer self booking, some get better service by using an agent. There are times set up by Disney to book Dining reservations and tours, as well as park reservations. Be sure you know when these can be done and be ready to get in to book them the morning its available to you.
When you get nearer to the time to book decide which TA you want to go with or if you want to do it yourself. Some prefer self booking, some get better service by using an agent. There are times set up by Disney to book Dining reservations and tours, as well as park reservations. Be sure you know when these can be done and be ready to get in to book them the morning its available to you.
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Thank you so much!
I visited Disney world but it was about 15 years ago, so I feel like this is new to me!
I guess I have started a little bit because I can answer some of those questions.
*There will be four adults and one young child. My husband and I will be in one bedroom and my daughter, son-in-law, and grandson would be in another one.
*I think one of my big questions is what do you all experts think is cheaper? On Disney property or off? (We don't want to be super cheap, just frugal while still comfortable.)
*We want to come in May, right before schools are out. Is that a good month to come?
*We will be flying, finding the cheapest flight.
*We would like to stay for 6 days, two of them being travel days.
So now that I have some of these things answered. I guess I will start with a basic calendar of events for my week. I'm not quite ready to refine the details, but this is a good start, thank you!
I visited Disney world but it was about 15 years ago, so I feel like this is new to me!
I guess I have started a little bit because I can answer some of those questions.
*There will be four adults and one young child. My husband and I will be in one bedroom and my daughter, son-in-law, and grandson would be in another one.
*I think one of my big questions is what do you all experts think is cheaper? On Disney property or off? (We don't want to be super cheap, just frugal while still comfortable.)
*We want to come in May, right before schools are out. Is that a good month to come?
*We will be flying, finding the cheapest flight.
*We would like to stay for 6 days, two of them being travel days.
So now that I have some of these things answered. I guess I will start with a basic calendar of events for my week. I'm not quite ready to refine the details, but this is a good start, thank you!
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SteveAZee
Premium Member
Off property is much less expensive. You can find conversations here at WDWMagic regarding the pros and cons of staying in the "Disney Bubble", and the biggest 'con' for staying on property is the cost.
May is certainly a good time for a lot of reasons. Disney has variable pricing on park tickets and accommodations to smooth the crowds out through the year, but I think your idea of going at the peak of school attendance still helps.
If you want to stay on property, you might want to consider the Art of Animation resort... less expensive than most on property and can accommodate five. I've not stayed there personally, so I can't vouch for it.. it's more just what I've read. Another option is to rent DVC (Disney Vacation Club) points from an owner and stay in a 1 bedroom villa, which allows for 5 people (two in the bedroom, three in the living room with a fold out couch and small fold out chair thingy) and comes with washer/dryer and full kitchen. It's a way to save money by cooking and eating in the room. There are DVC resorts across the property.
My thoughts are to start looking at pricing and location of various resorts on property as well as scoping out off property places. All of the rest (park tickets, transportation, etc) will wait until you're sure where you're staying. Accommodations will be a big chunk of your budget, so choosing wisely with that seems most important, at least to me.
May is certainly a good time for a lot of reasons. Disney has variable pricing on park tickets and accommodations to smooth the crowds out through the year, but I think your idea of going at the peak of school attendance still helps.
If you want to stay on property, you might want to consider the Art of Animation resort... less expensive than most on property and can accommodate five. I've not stayed there personally, so I can't vouch for it.. it's more just what I've read. Another option is to rent DVC (Disney Vacation Club) points from an owner and stay in a 1 bedroom villa, which allows for 5 people (two in the bedroom, three in the living room with a fold out couch and small fold out chair thingy) and comes with washer/dryer and full kitchen. It's a way to save money by cooking and eating in the room. There are DVC resorts across the property.
My thoughts are to start looking at pricing and location of various resorts on property as well as scoping out off property places. All of the rest (park tickets, transportation, etc) will wait until you're sure where you're staying. Accommodations will be a big chunk of your budget, so choosing wisely with that seems most important, at least to me.
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We are definitely not interested in staying on the Disney resorts if they're more expensive. Staying in hotel is perfectly fine.
I feel like it's going to be really hard to find a hotel though, it seems overwhelming! Is there a part of this site that specifically talks about lodging?
I feel like it's going to be really hard to find a hotel though, it seems overwhelming! Is there a part of this site that specifically talks about lodging?
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SteveAZee
Premium Member
There's the forum here called "WDW Offsite Hotels, Dining, Shopping" but it doesn't seems like there's a ton of activity there.
There's another WDW board, and I'll add a link here, although some other sites can't be linked to from this board, so if it's deleted, that's why...
There's another WDW board, and I'll add a link here, although some other sites can't be linked to from this board, so if it's deleted, that's why...
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kaitertot5249
Well-Known Member
We just booked a multi-generational trip for 8 people: my family of 4 (two kids under 3 at time of travel), my parents (early 60s) and my sister and her husband (mid 20s). We ended up going with an AirBnb 15 min from Magic Kingdom. We haven’t stayed yet but the price was a no brainer for a group of our size. We plan on doing some meals in the house since there is a full kitchen and barbecue, it has a private pool with safety fence, and a pack n’ play included. Total for a 5 bedroom house was $250/night. I’ve only ever stayed on-site before but there was no comparison when it came to price so off-site won out this time around.
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MissingDisney
Well-Known Member
Another website I found immensely helpful was Mousesavers.com
Tons of info about offsite hotels and they often get special promos for these locations.
Tons of info about offsite hotels and they often get special promos for these locations.
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yensid67
Well-Known Member
Hey MeganMM,
I will give my 2 cents worth. I am on a limited budget so I STAY OFF SITE...rosenlbv.com is la Good Neighbor Hotel, within walking distance of DIsney Springs if you want to get some exercise, has 2 pools a splash zone for kids, game room, Restaurant, Deli Convenience store bar and grille, Pillow top mattresses, frig, microwave and coffee maker in every room with a safe. If you look in the right place, you can find it for $60/night and it's a 3-star hotel that is up to Disney standards as a less expensive option (Good Neighbor Hotel status)
I will give you the best site to find DISCOUNTED TICKETS, HOTEL AND RENTAL CARS along with other local attractions...
undercovertourist.com
If you have Amtrak nearby, I would look into that as an adventure than just a plane ride. Its cheaper than airline tickets and you will see different parts of the country that you will never get to see from the air!
6 days is a good 'starting point' . If you take the train, it may take you at least 18 hrs...depending on where you are coming from, but the memories will be the best part! For your tickets, I would suggest everyone decide how many parks and which ones to go to. If no one is a STAR WARS fan, I would stay away from DHS. HOPEFULLY! Epcot will be finished by then with all the construction walls. If the walls are still up for most of the park, unless you are interested in the World Showcase countries, I would skip Epcot. Unless you want to experience the new Guardians of the Galaxy attraction?
May is a good month weather wise as well. My last trip was in May 2013 and the weather was tolerable! Flower and Garden Festival will be happening as well at Epcot.
I would also start buying Disney Gift Cards to use in the parks for food and souvenirs to control your spending...or plan to leave the parks midday and grab a late lunch and go back for evening fun! Park food prices are up while you get LESS !
Well that's my opinion, but everyone will have their own must do's. I am just suggesting with the cost of everything inside the park, that more pin point planning is required nowadays. Planning a Disney trip use to be fun and magical, but now it's just a chore with all the preplanning. Don't forget you need to check for PARK RESERVATIONS BEFORE YOU BUY YOUR TICKETS!
HAVE FUN! You will get a lot of advice here from friends!
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buckeyegator
Well-Known Member
disney springs hotels are a good buy, you get busses to the parks plus easy walk to disney springs.how much is too much to spend on a room? the all star resorts are the cheapest, but only busses to the parks and they are shared with the 3 resorts so it is a little time wasting,imo.pop century is a little more than the all stars, a little less than art of animation, but if you want 2 rooms art of animation is the best.like earlier said, may is a good time to visit, not real crowded, the florida heat not in effect yet.
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buckeyegator
Well-Known Member
along with disney gift cards do you have a disney visa card? almost all places in the parks and disney springs give about 10% discount on it, plus, almost 2 years out you earn 1 dollar for every 100 spent, not alot, but if you use it to pay for your flight, resorts, tickets,etc other things between now and then it adds up.
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buckeyegator
Well-Known Member
here are a couple of money ideas. do you and your husband work, if so maybe you 2 and the others can set aside a small amount each payday in a interest bearing account. the biggie, and really easy to do is have all 4 of you just throw your loose change every day into a jar, or 4 seperate ones, 1,5,10,25 cents in each, get coin wrappers from your bank and put the change in them,you will be amazed at how much in a year and a half you will get
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buckeyegator
Well-Known Member
remember, if you are flying down and stay off property very few hotels/motels have park bus service so you may pay out the wazoo for daily back and forth lyft/uber rides. if you rent a car you still have daily park parking fees, and they are not cheap.don't want to influence you, but on property or disney springs really is the way to go if you save up like i said earlier, plus if you don't go to a park 1 day, resort visiting is really cool to see all the different resorts.
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buckeyegator
Well-Known Member
just remembered shades of green, don't know about rates since it is not open to the general public, just active and retired military.is a short walk to poly, there you can get monorail to mk or epcot.
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buckeyegator
Well-Known Member
be sure to get the my disney app.great to make park reservations, check wait times on rides, great for mobile food ordering, need it if you want to use genie
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Figgy1
Well-Known Member
There are a few other people who can stay there and rates vary depending on pay grade under 200 per night for the highest category suites run higher. January and September it is open to all vets. Most eligible can sponsor 3 rooms. The dedicated busses are a big plus
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