Planning a Disney Trip - Where to start?
Planning a Disney Trip - Where to start?
Where to Start - 8-14 Months in Advance
- Typically I use Disney's "Magic Your Way" booking tool to plan my trips and here is why:
- Resort and tickets are booked and packaged together
- You only need base tickets - Hopper and other passes not worth it in my opinion
- Allows you to put a deposit down of only $200 to plan your trip
- You can cancel up to 30 days prior to your visit date for a full refund
- Promotions are provided during certain times of the year when booking
- Resorts include free shuttles to and from parks all throughout the day
- Pick a value resort and here is why:
- Value resorts in the summer range from $140 to $170 per night which is reasonable for the experience.
- You don't need fancy resort to get the Disney experience as you are hardly in your room except to sleep and shower
- What you save in rooms you can spend on experiences and food/beverages
- Walmart's and Publix are nearby so if you want to have some groceries delivered to save - its quick and easy
- Start looking at flights NOW and here's why:
- Yes, we all know the flight rules for cheap flights, but its not always true - I got cheaper flights right after new year for a July trip - Luck of the draw
- Use Google Flights to track the prices of flight dates and times - they will send you email updates when prices lower
- If you are a planner it will give you piece of mind and you can adjust your flights later in most cases now that airlines have eliminated change fees
- Start looking for ways to buy Disney gift cards and/or pay for the trip to get the most rewards and here's why:
- Disney gift cards can be used almost anywhere (Pay for hotel folio, pay for tabs at restaurants and much more)
- By planning in advance you can utilize bonus categories on different credit cards (ex: Target is a quarterly category so I can buy $1500 worth of Disney gift cards and get 5% cash back)
- Sign up bonuses can offer up to $300 after spending $750 - Buy some Disney gift cards (Pay it off and dump the card you just saved $300)
- Transportation and why I don't get a car:
- Magic Express was sunset at the end of 2021 so now I use Mears Transportation - Takes your right to the Disney Resort
- Reasonable round trip fees and upgraded their online booking info
- You WILL NEED your flight info (Probably so they can ensure they have staff)
- What is this going to cost me? (How bad is this going to hurt)
- Depends on what you goal is for the trip (Est for Family of 3):
- Budget Friendly Good Time (Total = $3,825)
- Value Resort and Base Tickets (5 Nights 4 Days in Park July) - $2,600
- Flights (Using northeast - will vary) - $700 - $900 for Economy
- Bags 1-2 Checked - $70 - $125
- Airport Parking - $50 - $200
- Orlando Shuttle Roundtrip from Airport (Mears) - $96
- Food and Drink during stay (Quick Service)- $900 -$1000
- All Out - Planning Ahead (Total = $6,350)
- Value Resort and Base Tickets (6 Nights 5 Days in Park July) - $2,800
- Flights (Using northeast - will vary) - $700 - $900 for Economy
- Bags 1-2 Checked - $70 - $125
- Airport Parking - $50 - $200
- Orlando Shuttle Roundtrip from Airport (Mears) - $96
- Food and Drink during Stay (1 Full Serv. Per Day and Quick Service)- $1,800 - $2,200
- Difference between these experiences:
- Dining - When budgeting and eating at Disney, you need to utilize the quick service locations. "Going all out " is when you book reservations EACH day at a sit down location like Be Our Quest or other high end locations.
- Alcohol - Look I need beer when I am in Disney so expect to pay $8-$10 per beer when dining or just getting a mid-day brew. (You can get grocery delivery or Uber for getting beer to your hotel - will save you from $18 6-Packs)
- Lastly, I will say when not being budget friendly - my take is that I am on vacation and I want to live for the moment so I will sometimes slip and over spend a bit - You only live once and the memories with your family really are priceless.
- How to do it? = DISCIPLINE
- You want your family to have a great experience and share a great memory with them
- Plan in advance as noted in the beginning - the further out the better
- Put money aside each week and commit to it - its for your family so you don't need that new tool from the hardware store
- Pick the budge route you want to go with and create a buffer of at least $500 - you will feel better and at ease
- Look for the gift card discounts in advance - I can typically save at least $300 when planning in advance with this route
- I DON'T ADVOCATE FOR DEBT, but if you have to use a credit card and know you don't have the money ONLY USE one that offers a sign up bonus for 0% APR for 12 months or more. I never pay interest except for a mortgage and live within my means. Check Nerd Wallet for current card offers and bonuses
How bad is it in the summer? Heat, Crowds, etc
ReplyDeleteHeat - Going to be hot and humid in the summer with the occasional rain showers. Bring a poncho or try to plan dining experiences in the mid afternoon as you might be able to wait out storms in a restaurant.
DeleteCrowds - Crowds are always bad at Disney in my experience. Its a major family destination that is known worldwide so you have to deal with it. Kids are out of school in the summer so it will be busy. If not try scheduling a trip end of September or October. You will have to pull the kids out of school though - Educational Field Trip :0)
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