Price hike coming 10/9

[bmr1591]

FYP

Honestly, it depends on your family. Since it's only my wife and I, staying at an All Star is a better deal (especially with an AP discount) than staying off site. After paying for Ubers/Lyfts, it's cheaper to just stay on site and use Disney transportation. We also avoid hidden resort fees that can often make the price more expensive just for the stay.

 

[Fido Chuckwagon]

Honestly, it depends on your family. Since it's only my wife and I, staying at an All Star is a better deal (especially with an AP discount) than staying off site. After paying for Ubers/Lyfts, it's cheaper to just stay on site and use Disney transportation. We also avoid hidden resort fees that can often make the price more expensive just for the stay.

I'm not saying it'd be super pleasant, but you could stay at a disney springs offsite hotel (cheaper than all stars) that is walkable to SSR to catch the Disney transportation to the parks. There are ways to do disney really really cheap, but obviously you're losing a lot of the convenience factor.

 

[bmr1591]

I'm not saying it'd be super pleasant, but you could stay at a disney springs offsite hotel (cheaper than all stars) that is walkable to SSR to catch the Disney transportation to the parks. There are ways to do disney really really cheap, but obviously you're losing a lot of the convenience factor.

I attempted to do this this past weekend. We were coming down for just the Halloween party, so we decided try the Lynx bus to Springs since we'd only have backpacks. I booked a hotel next to Springs for the first night and we were going to stay at AKL the next day to enjoy the pool on the party day. The price looked great for the hotel, but then I saw mention of a potential resort fee. So I called and the $90 a night hotel suddenly had a $35 resort fee, plus a 10% tax on all of that, so I was looking at nearly $40 more for the night. All Star Music was only $140, so I switched over to it for $10 more.

 

[JD80]

You can find inexpensive hotels in Orlando, and if you drive to save money then you have a car. You can easily find rooms for $100 a night most times.

The biggest cost is tickets, but you can try to get when Disney does some ticket deals. Like this summer was 4 tickets to be used at each park form $100 ea.

That's your best bet. You can stay at like Silver Springs resort near AKL that has a full kitchen and it's somewhere between $100 and $150 a night to help with food costs. A less expensive WDW vacation is possible.

I'm a big stay on site and dine person but with 3 kids and the costs going up the first thing that goes is restaurants. Which is why they aren't as crowded anymore.

 

[Raineman]

Source is I work there. Plus it always happens during the first half of October

Are you a bus driver?

 

[Eric Graham]

Just out of curiosity, how are people currently affording Disney world vacations? I’m assuming the vast majority either live locally in Florida, or make combined incomes over 100k -150k.

For families making less than 100k how are y’all doing it? I haven’t been able to go on a vacation in 2 years because I just can’t afford life anymore.

Dollywood in Pigeon Forge TN can be really fun also and maybe more affordable for you. They have a number of rollercoasters as well. We have done both Disney and Dollywood.

 

[Eric Graham]

Doesn't Universal usually follow suit when the other raises prices and vice versa?

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

I'm not saying it'd be super pleasant, but you could stay at a disney springs offsite hotel (cheaper than all stars) that is walkable to SSR to catch the Disney transportation to the parks.

They all add resort fees and parking fees so if you are driving, Disney can still be cheaper or basically the same price.

The only one that will likely be cheaper than All Stars is the Wyndham, especially on Priceline and if you aren’t parking a car.

If you have hotel points with Hilton - they don’t charge resort fees if you use points so it is totally free.

 

[JMcMahonEsq]

They all add resort fees and parking fees so if you are driving, Disney can still be cheaper or basically the same price.

The only one that will likely be cheaper than All Stars is the Wyndham, especially on Priceline and if you aren’t parking a car.

If you have hotel points with Hilton - they don’t charge resort fees if you use points so it is totally free.

Looking right now at just Marriot Properties available in December of this year, you can find 5 properties under 150 per night, some as low as 110 and 105 per night, and that's all within 5-10 miles away. Fairfield Inn and Suites Orlando/Kissimmee Celebration is $89 bucks per night.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

Looking right now at just Marriot Properties available in December of this year, you can find 5 properties under 150 per night, some as low as 110 and 105 per night, and that's all within 5-10 miles away.

Those are not Disney Springs hotels so they are not on property - which are the ones I was responding to.

I’ve stayed at the 2 Marriott properties at Flamingo Crossings and they are great choices if you have a car and are a passholder or otherwise have free parking at Disney.

 

[Eric Graham]

Those are not Disney Springs hotels so they are not on property - which are the ones I was responding to.

I’ve stayed at the 2 Marriott properties at Flamingo Crossings and they are great choices if you have a car and are a passholder or otherwise have free parking at Disney.

Also, if they stay at a Disney resorts and other select hotels you get the added benefit of booking some rides for the duration of your trip 7 days before your trip

 

[bmr1591]

Looking right now at just Marriot Properties available in December of this year, you can find 5 properties under 150 per night, some as low as 110 and 105 per night, and that's all within 5-10 miles away. Fairfield Inn and Suites Orlando/Kissimmee Celebration is $89 bucks per night.

Just a quick check, but from what I see, Fairfield charges a mandatory $10 per night 'destination fee' (resort fee) and $19 per day parking fee, so if you're driving, it's up to $120 quick.

 

[Purduevian]

I'm staying at a Disney Springs hotel on my next trip. 2 Adults, 1 baby (1 year old), 4 nights, 3 day park hopper, I'm estimating ~5k all in for my trip.

Flights	1131	Booked using points, but this is the $ equivalent
Tickets	1098	Discount through AAA
Hotel	948	Hilton Buena Vista Disney Springs (includes resort fee, parking, taxes, and theme park parking)
Rental car	260	Discount through Work
Memory maker	180	Prebook
Food	800	$80 per person per day
LLMP	100	$25 per person per 2 park days (not doing the AK day)
parking	90	(parking at Disney parks is $30 per day)

• I could save $508 by staying at the Fairfield Inn & Suites Orlando Lake Buena Vista. I've stayed here before and it's fine.
• I could also probably save $300 in food by being super stingy, not doing any TS meals, not drinking alcohol, not getting snacks, ect.
  • I could probably save up to $600 if I wanted to grocery shop and make sandwiches, and never eat park food.
• Finally memory maker, and LLMP are optional, so there's another $280

Still an expensive trip over $3,250 even if you cut out all the fluff for 2 adults and 1 baby.

 

[JD80]

I'm staying at a Disney Springs hotel on my next trip. 2 Adults, 1 baby (1 year old), 4 nights, 3 day park hopper, I'm estimating ~5k all in for my trip.

Flights	1131	Booked using points, but this is the $ equivalent
Tickets	1098	Discount through AAA
Hotel	948	Hilton Buena Vista Disney Springs (includes resort fee, parking, taxes, and theme park parking)
Rental car	260	Discount through Work
Memory maker	180	Prebook
Food	800	$80 per person per day
LLMP	100	$25 per person per 2 park days (not doing the AK day)
parking	90	(parking at Disney parks is $30 per day)

• I could save $508 by staying at the Fairfield Inn & Suites Orlando Lake Buena Vista. I've stayed here before and it's fine.
• I could also probably save $300 in food by being super stingy, not doing any TS meals, not drinking alcohol, not getting snacks, ect.
  • I could probably save up to $600 if I wanted to grocery shop and make sandwiches, and never eat park food.
• Finally memory maker, and LLMP are optional, so there's another $280

Still an expensive trip over $3,250 even if you cut out all the fluff for 2 adults and 1 baby.

Save another 270ish for not doing hoppers. I always felt hoppers were too much with really young kids. Assuming stroller and bus use.

 

[tissandtully]

Lucky to live locally and be AP holders, which has crossed insane price territory but it is what it is. Bought and paid off DVC a long time ago so our rooms are already basically paid for if we wanna stay overnight.

 

[Purduevian]

Save another 270ish for not doing hoppers. I always felt hoppers were too much with really young kids. Assuming stroller and bus use.

Yup, forgot about that one. We did it a year ago when he was ~9months old. The plan is to go to MK on a party day. Last year we were kinda done with it around 4pm, so a few hours at the hotel, then back to DHS/EPCOT for a ride or 2 and a night show. The other morning, we started at EPCOT and kind of finished around 3pm, so we went back to MK.

I'm buying a standard ticket to start in case this year is much different. However, I'm fully intending/expecting to upgrade to a hopper. I'll report back if we don't end up upgrading!

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

I'm staying at a Disney Springs hotel on my next trip. 2 Adults, 1 baby (1 year old), 4 nights, 3 day park hopper, I'm estimating ~5k all in for my trip.

Was that cheaper than a Disney Resort or do you prefer Hilton properties?

 

[the_rich]

I just did 5 nights at the ak lodge 3 booked using points I bought and 2 through Disney. 4 day tickets for 2 adults.

$1400 for the room
$900 for the park tickets
$400 for flights(but used points so it was free)
$900 gift card for food and souvenirs($200 was from points.)
$160 for LL
$220 for party Tix

So almost $4000 if i paid for it all, but $3400 out of pocket. For me this was well worth the money and about the same price as I paid to go to Cancun for the same amount of time.

 

[DryerLintFan]

Just out of curiosity, how are people currently affording Disney world vacations? I’m assuming the vast majority either live locally in Florida, or make combined incomes over 100k -150k.

For families making less than 100k how are y’all doing it? I haven’t been able to go on a vacation in 2 years because I just can’t afford life anymore.

The real issue is mostly going to stem from multiplying prices by number of family members depending on how many you've got.

It’s this. Having a small family makes it possible. For us it looks like this for a family of only 2:

Flights	$650	Southwest
Tickets	$875	3 day tickets plus MNSSHP tickets
Hotel	$722	1 night POP and 4 nights SoG
Mears	$62	To and From airport
Souvenirs	$250
Food	800	$80 per person per day
LLMP	$100	$25 per person per 2 park days
Total	$3,459

I mean it’s still a lot but scaling this to a family of four makes it $6,196

One thing we did when my daughter was little was buy season passes. We’d go at the last week of September for like 9 days, then the next year we’d go a week and a half earlier for 9 days and the park tickets that second trip were zero cost

 

[Splash4eva]

They all add resort fees and parking fees so if you are driving, Disney can still be cheaper or basically the same price.

The only one that will likely be cheaper than All Stars is the Wyndham, especially on Priceline and if you aren’t parking a car.

If you have hotel points with Hilton - they don’t charge resort fees if you use points so it is totally free.

I dont know what other hotels charge but i cant see you saving much if any money staying elsewhere vs any of the all star resorts when factoring it all in not to mention the convenience factor where time is money as well…