Disney World so called "Affordable" Vacations

[stevo505]

Many of you have probably seen the commercial where the mom sees just how 'Affordable' Disney world vacations are. That ticks me off, because some families (Like Mine) really can't afford to go.

I went to the Affordable WDW web site, and the total price for a family of 4 was $1,600. But then, you have to pay for air fare, and a bunch of other stuff which makes me sad and mad all at the same time because I so badly want to go. :mad: :frown:

[Kileli]

well, it is still expensive, but they say that it is affordable because i think they dropped the prices a little. sure, it may not be that affordable, but still, its better.

[PeoplemoverMatt]

There are affordable WDW vacations out there, but don't expect WDW to just drop them off on your doorstep. Do some research, compare some prices, explore offers through various folks, someone out there is bound to give you a deal. But make sure you have enough wits about you to figure true costs out on your own.

Our last WDW trip cost less than $500 a person for 7 days/6 nights off-property hotel+airfare+rental car. :biggrin:

-- PMM :cool:

[Ezra]

Disney visitors say high cost of fun is worth every penny (http://www.tallahassee.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2007701280308)
Tallahassee Democrat

Totally un-helpful, but kinda funny, article
about how expensive it is...

[pixie2dw]

stevo505 - There are cheaper ways for a family to go to WDW!
1. Choose the number of days you want to stay, this helps alot!! Read a WDW Guide book from the Library to find your must do's.
2. Check for cheap Airline fares, Blue Jet, Southwest, Spirit
3. Stay off-site, in a suite hotel, look in the $79.00 range, use online sites to find deals like www.MouseSavers.com , or Entertainment Book or a room only AAA Discount. Check at work to see if your company has any Disney deals,
4.travel only in Value season
5. go to www.TicketMania.com and choose your tickets
6.Will you need a rental car?
7.Food- eat as many meals away from WDW as possibly to save food $$, also eat breakfast in your room while everyone is getting ready, cereal bars, pop tarts, hot water oatmeal packets heat the water in the coffee pot,
and if the budget is really tight, pack a tummy pack to take in to the park, trail mix, small cookie packets, beef jerky, energy bars or granola bars, fruit snacks, cereal bars.
8. Bring you own bottled water into the parks, many have Staple Office Supples deliver water to there hotels.

[crystaltink]

It often doesn't hurt to see a good travel agent. Agents can get you deals and a few freebies most of the time that you can't get from booking online. Make sure you visit an agency that has a good reputation. Going by word of mouth is very helpful in finding a good agent. It won't do you any good to visit an agent that can get you a decent price but wants to mark it up $700.00 so he/she can make more commission. Believe me, there are agents that do this.

[Henry Ravenswood]

Disneyland Paris sells it's tickets almost half-price if you order them at least a month before your visit ... is there something similar for Disneyland or Walt Disney World ?

[sora_145]

Those commercials are geared more towards people who live in Florida. That price includes the Florida Resident discount, and other things us Floridians get for free. Disney Land is bigger then WDW anyway, why go? Although we do have 4 parks, 2 water parks, A FREGGIN' HUGE ARCADE!!! Lol, really though, stick with DL.

[ryguy222]

Disneyland Paris sells it's tickets almost half-price if you order them at least a month before your visit ... is there something similar for Disneyland or Walt Disney World ?
Its not half price, but its maybe 20-30 dollars cheaper if you buy them at least 10-11 days in advance. Thats for DLR, and i believe WDW has the same offer.

[Kileli]

Those commercials are geared more towards people who live in Florida. That price includes the Florida Resident discount, and other things us Floridians get for free. Disney Land is bigger then WDW anyway, why go? Although we do have 4 parks, 2 water parks, A FREGGIN' HUGE ARCADE!!! Lol, really though, stick with DL.
well, It is not really bigger here. WDW has a HUGE amount of land (but most of it is forest) and AK is so big the other 3 parks could fit inside. I really REALLY enjoyed my trip to WDW last summer, so if you get the chance, I would go. I can't really say which one is beter, because after 8 months, I still have not decided.

[ryguy222]

^Yep AK is huge, and its basicly for the Safari ride, thats one of my favorites at WDW. And btw, WDW is not smaller then DLR. Picture it this way, DL is a 50-60 story bulding, WDW is the CN Tower!

[PeoplemoverMatt]

WDW has 47 square miles, and DAK was built within the property. WDW is so big that you really can't fathom it until you're lost inside there driving around for 30mins or more trying to find how to get to your off-prop hotel. Not that I've done that or anything... *ahem*

DLR has West, Katella, Ball & Harbor. Not exactly spacious conditions.

-- PMM :cool:

[tomserwin]

I went to Walt Disney World in January and it only cost $1,500 for two adults.
That includes plane tickets, five-day park-hopper tickets, the Disney Dining Plan, and five days/four nights at the Pop Century Resort.
I think that was a pretty good deal.

[PeoplemoverMatt]

Did you think the experience you had at the Pop Century was worth that price compared to staying at some of the other Resorts?

-- PMM :cool:

[tomserwin]

Absolutely!

The only thing I really use a hotel for is sleeping; however, I think that Pop Century was definately worth it. It is cheap (which is a very GOOD thing) and it the staff is great. The food court is quick and easy.
More importantly, it's the best of all the value hotels because it is the most centrally located. The other three value hotels take significantly longer to get to on a bus. Since the main method of transportaition at WDW is the bus system, Pop is a good choice.

It may be cheap, but its still a great place to stay. If I go back to WDW, I will definately go back to Pop.

[PeoplemoverMatt]

Interesting, I had always envisioned a kind of shopping mall during Thanksgiving weekend environment with hotel rooms there. However, the Value Resorts remain the one place in WDW I pretty much have never seen before so I don't have any first hand experience there. Glad to see you enjoyed your time.

-- PMM :cool:

[tonichelle]

We're spending close to 10,000 dollars to go this summer - but that's our choice... Alaska Airfare to Florida is insane and stupid and poopy... the Disney part of it was actually cheaper than we thought it would be. You just have to know what questions to ask...

it wouldn't be so high but June is the only time we could all go (there are 6 of us) Being a huge fan of the parks both at WDW and DL I feel it's worth every penny (nevermind I'm a college student and am paying for about half of the trip and don't have half of it yet lol)

You just have to decide how much you want to go and if the sacrifice is worth it. For myself and my aunt(we're the ones who went in and got this for our family... hee hee) it totally is... so we're pinching our pennies... and buying stuff that we just really need, not want...

Have you read the book "Disney on a Dime" it really helps if you're willing to stay off property (we weren't lol)... another one of my favorites is the Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World (I have the newest edition: 2007) it really helps you figure out which questions to ask and how to plan if you call and order directly from Disney (which is what we did)

[LoehnWolf]

Another thing to consider is the fact you dont have to pay it all up front. When I planned my last trip I put down $200 and made installments. I stayed at the PC as well and it was a great stay. Granted it was just a place to lay our heads, but I went during Halloween and they had all kinds of fun contests and giveaways for the kids. Not being rich I found it was alot easier on our budget to spread the payments out. Book as far down the road as you can and spread things out.

[Disneynovice]

Have you read the book "Disney on a Dime" it really helps if you're willing to stay off property (we weren't lol)... another one of my favorites is the Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World (I have the newest edition: 2007) it really helps you figure out which questions to ask and how to plan if you call and order directly from Disney (which is what we did)
Thank you so much for the tip!!!!!! I am planning at least one trip this year to DLR,(hopefully more) and when I saw the book reference, I read a preview, and then bought it! That tip was the bomb!!!!:biggrin:

[head mouse]

well, it is still expensive, but they say that it is affordable because i think they dropped the prices a little. sure, it may not be that affordable, but still, its better.


funny because 2 years ago their "Affordable" Vacations were $1400 for family of 4. and there is a catch. it has to be 2 parents and 2 children. not just 4 people.

Also a 6 night 7 days vacation for just my wife and I is only $1171.74

That includes a room at Pop Century Resort for 6 nights.

[Nightlyre]

We stayed at the All Star Music, and it was far better than I'd expected. The hotel was huge, with two pools, the bigger of which had characters from The Three Caballeros shooting water pistols over it. The food court was as good and well run as anyplace in the resort. All told, for 10 days, 9 nights, Park Hopper passes (no water parks), off season (late November), including airfare, transportation, hotel, and all of our food and souveniers, we still came in under $2700.

I'd definitely try Pop Century next time though. The main bus problem with the three All Star resorts was not the distance of travel, but the fact that most of the time, the busses would hop between all three resorts. The bus sometimes filled up almost completely at Sports, so by the time it got to Music it was standing room only - if you even got on! I can't imagine how bad it'd be for the people at Movies.

We considered staying at the Animal Kingdom resort... but that'll have to wait until we're in a higher tax bracket, I fear!

Edit: I forgot to mention, everything we did was booked through Disney's web site, nothing fancy. Going during their off season made a huge difference.

[head mouse]

I just don't see the need for a fancy hotel room. we're not going to be there that much.

[austen]

My family wants to get season passes, but they are expensive, but more importantly the food every time we go!!! it adds up ssooo fast!!!! i really wish we can go soo much more though.

[head mouse]

My family wants to get season passes, but they are expensive, but more importantly the food every time we go!!! it adds up ssooo fast!!!! i really wish we can go soo much more though.


I always take a backpack with snacks and drinks. Helps save a lot on food.

[PeoplemoverMatt]

^ But if you're staying on property and took the DME to get there, there's isn't much opportunity to visit Wal-Mart & stock up. If you have no transportation, you're stuck, and they know it.

-- PMM :cool:

[head mouse]

^ But if you're staying on property and took the DME to get there, there's isn't much opportunity to visit Wal-Mart & stock up. If you have no transportation, you're stuck, and they know it.

-- PMM :cool:


True. but I can't imagine someone traveling and not renting a car or something. I'd hate to be "trapped" on Disney property.

[PeoplemoverMatt]

Still, that's really the whole point of the DME service. Provide free 'Disney' transportation to/from the airport to Disney property, let you off on Disney property with plans to pick you back up on Disney property while you vacation totally on Disney property. Doing that you're on Disney property basically from the second you're off the plane to the second you're back on it. In the meantime, you're theirs.

-- PMM :cool:

[Disneynovice]

What my family and I have done in the past is to reserve a cheap rental at the airport we arrive at (For DLR we like Long Beach) and then stop at a grocery store on our way to the room. We have a list, in a trip organizer notebook, with the stuff we want to buy, like bottled water, soda, lunchmeat, peanut butter, bread, crackers and cheese, popcorn, etc. Then at the hotel (usually Park Vue Inn) we put everything away that is perishable, and just head to The Park, dropping off the keys to the rental car on the way. Viola! easy squeezy, lemon peasy!!!! No muss, no fuss, no bother!!!