Affordable Disney Vacations Step by Step. Part Seven: Should I Stay ON Disney Property or OFF Disney Property?

This is part seven in my blog series: Affordable Disney Vacations Step by Step. You can read the rest of the posts here.

I get many questions from people who are thinking about visiting Walt Disney World and want Disney World vacation tips and suggestions. Disney vacation planning can be very involved and confusing as well, so the goal of this series is to start at the beginning, and look at everything you need to think about, in the general order you need to think about it. Each week’s post will be numbered and link to all the others so that, when complete, you will have a guide with all the steps and information you need to plan your own Disney magic.

Should I stay ON Disney property or OFF Disney property?

This is probably the single most frequent question I get from folks planning a Disney World vacation. And the answer that I give….depends on a number of things.

(You should probably see a pattern here by now if you have been reading along with the series…:))

Let’s talk about why you would want to stay off-site first. To start, you may save money, possibly a good deal of money, or at a minimum, get larger/better accommodations for the same price. (Note that I said “may”, because depending on the time of year and if Disney has any promotions…and a couple of other factors as well…this may not always be the case.) If you have a larger family, where a standard size hotel room is not going to do it for you, this can be important if you will be getting more than one room. And, you may also find it easier to find rooms in your price range if you are planning on traveling during peak travel times, or if you are trying to book all this at the last minute.

Other things that will come into play here however, are things like transportation to the parks and meals.  You will want to see if the off-property hotel you are considering offers things like free breakfast, or free park shuttles…or will you need to rent a car?

The transportation part should be looked at very carefully in fact. Traveling to and from the parks can be a challenge, depending on the available shuttle service: some hotels share shuttles, or charge for their use. If you want to take afternoon breaks from the parks, you may want to consider renting a car, but if you do, realize that there will be a parking fee, and if visiting on peak holidays, the parking lots may be closed to non-Disney guests.

Now why would you want to stay on-site? Well, the already-mentioned transportation issue is a big one. Disney “perks” like “Extra Magic Hours” are a nice way to get additional time in the parks. Plus Disney offers the Disney Dining Plans, as well as those increasingly frequent promotions that should never be overlooked when planning affordable Disney vacations.

Then there is “the Magic factor”.

Arguably the most important thing that a Disney property provides, that you will not have if you stay off-site, is that 24/7 immersion in the Disney “magic”. Of course, for many folks, that may be the biggest disadvantage! After all, how often can you stand to hear “It’s a Small World” in one day? It may be that for your family, having a break from all that pixie dust may be a very good thing indeed.

Now you should also take a look at the “non-Disney” hotels that are located on Disney property: there a few in the Downtown Disney area, as well as the distinctive Walt Disney World Swan and Walt Disney World Dolphin located near Epcot and Hollywood Studios. These hotels, while not owned by Walt Disney World, still offer a number of those great Disney perks, but without the corresponding Disney property cost. It’s a nice compromise if you are trying to save money but would still like the Disney ambience.

Both on-Disney and off-Disney properties have their pros and cons, and as you can see there really is no one perfect-for-all solution. Even for your own family, the best choice for an affordable Disney vacation may be different depending on the year, season, month, or even week.

Our next post will discuss the accommodations available at the Walt Disney Resort, and then it will be time to book!

Affordable Disney Vacations Step by Step. Part Six: Hotel or Rental Property?

This is part six in my blog series: Affordable Disney Vacations Step by Step. You can read the rest of the posts here.

I get many questions from people who are thinking about visiting Walt Disney World and want Disney World vacation tips and suggestions. Disney vacation planning can be very involved and confusing as well, so the goal of this series is to start at the beginning, and look at everything you need to think about, in the general order you need to think about it. Each week’s post will be numbered and will eventually link to all the others so that, when complete, you will have a guide with all the steps and information you need to plan your own Disney magic.

In the last post, we discussed some of the things that will have an impact on where you stay while at Disney World. Today we are going to look at an increasingly popular option for affordable Disney vacations: Disney World vacation homes and Disney World condos.

Why might this be a good option for you?

To begin with, this option will probably have a lot more space for your family, and for many families this is an important factor, and can very likely be a cost savings, since family size for many folks means multiple hotel rooms. With a vacation home or condo rental however, you will be able to sleep anywhere from 4 to 16 people comfortably. More space, and the same or less money than a hotel room means a better overall value.

Another potentially huge cost savings will be having access to a kitchen….along with everything you could possibly need including, dishes, pots and pans, glasses, coffee pot, can opener, bake wear, and a whole lot more. Being able to easily prepare and eat in for some meals can be a huge cost savings for your vacation since you can make meals and snacks at a fraction of what you would pay at the theme parks.

There is an additional “hidden” benefit as well that is perhaps overlooked at first…but truly appreciated by those who choose this option…the privacy/relaxation factor. What? Relax on a Disney vacation? Yup! Many rental properties are located in gated communities, and so they have this secluded “get away from it all” feeling that you just cannot find at a Disney resort property or really any hotel/motel property for that matter. You can relax and unwind in your personal pool or spa, take advantage of your home’s theatre, or play video games in the game room…for as long as you like, at no additional cost.

You will find that there are many vacation rental options that are close to Disney World, ranging from small condos to large houses that can accommodate multiple families. They will all be fully furnished and most have multiple bedrooms and bathrooms, again making for a much more comfortable vacation stay than the average hotel room. Linens are usually provided, along with a starter supply of paper and other basics. A home away from home so to speak.

I always advise anyone planning a Disney World vacation to consider renting a Disney World vacation home or condo. Take a look at the options and see if any are right for your family.

Affordable Disney Vacations Step by Step. Part Five: Your Accommodation Options

This is part five in my blog series: Affordable Disney Vacations Step by Step. You can read the rest of the posts here.

I get many questions from people who are thinking about visiting Walt Disney World and want Disney World vacation tips and suggestions. Disney vacation planning can be very involved and confusing as well, so the goal of this series is to start at the beginning, and look at everything you need to think about, in the general order you need to think about it. Each week’s post will be numbered and will link to all the others so that, when complete, you will have a guide with all the steps and information you need to plan your own Disney magic.

We are now going to focus on the next steps of planning an affordable Disney vacation, choosing your accommodations. This is a huge part of any vacation budget, so it is important to take some time to research your options to decide what is best for your family.

Walt Disney World offers an almost dizzying variety of choices, from the many Disney properties, to off-resort hotels, to a vast supply of vacation homes and condos. How do you choose?

And perhaps even more to the point: what is the best choice to save money?

The answer to both questions is the same: it depends.

Most people think that it is always cheaper to stay off-property, and that is just not always the case. There are a number of variables that will come into play here: time of the year, size of your family, and need for transportation while there, will all factor in your decision.

As we have already discussed, the busier times of year will be more expensive…and you may possibly have less choices, especially if you are not planning far ahead. Disney will not typically offer as many promotions for these times of year as they will for the slower times. So off-site may be your best choice during peak season…but again, not always…

You need to look at the size of your family: if you have a number of children that will require more than one motel room, then a larger “suite”, villa, or rental home may be the most economical as compared to renting multiple rooms. The Walt Disney resort has some properties that can accommodate larger groups of people, and it is not unusual for Disney to have some pretty sweet discounts and packages on this “level” of accommodation. In other cases, some hotels/motels, both on and off property, may offer specials where two rooms could be cheaper than one room in a different location. You will also want to look beyond the traditional hotel/motel option and consider renting a vacation home, condominium, or time-share.  If you need the additional space, do the math: it can be a definite cost-saver.

And then you will want to consider how you are going to get around while at Disney World. You can stay with Disney and use their free resort transportation, consisting of buses, monorail, or boats. If you end up off-site then you will need a way to get to the parks: find out if your hotel/motel has a free shuttle. If not, or if you are staying in a private property, then you will need to factor in the cost of renting a car or van.

In the next few posts, we will discuss each of your options in more detail. And if you have not already decided generally when you want to go, how long you want to stay, the parks/attractions/events you are most interested in, and how much you want to spend…..well now is the appropriate time.

In the next few days, you are going to be booking your accommodations and on your way to your own magical affordable Disney vacation!

Affordable Disney Vacations Step by Step. Part Four: What is Your Budget?

This is part four in my blog series: Affordable Disney Vacations Step by Step. You can read the rest of the posts here.

I get many questions from people who are thinking about visiting Walt Disney World and want Disney World vacation tips and suggestions. Disney vacation planning can be very involved and confusing as well, so the goal of this series is to start at the beginning, and look at everything you need to think about, in the general order you need to think about it. Each week’s post will be numbered and will eventually link to all the others so that, when complete, you will have a guide with all the steps and information you need to plan your own Disney magic.

This week’s post is going to focus on the final step prior to researching your accommodations: How much can you afford to spend?

In many ways, in planning an affordable Disney family vacation, this may be the most important step, as you really need to have a budget in mind at the very beginning, or this can quickly escalate into anything but affordable.

Be honest with yourself and be realistic. Not having an extravagant budget does not mean you can’t have a fabulous vacation! On the contrary, that is what The Affordable Mouse is all about!

But having an idea at the beginning, what you can truly afford to spend will help you greatly in your subsequent planning. Whether you can afford $2000 or $10,000, knowing your budget will then help all the other pieces fall into place.

You may splurge in some areas, and scrimp in others, and only you will decide which are the areas of your Disney vacation that are most important for you to splurge on.

This is also the time, now that you know approximately when you are going and for how long, to see if there are any Disney promotions that you can take advantage of, such as savings on packages, free dining, or room discounts. Don’t book yet, because you want to compare with other options to see if the “deal” is the right one for you…but see what is out there first.

So for your action plan for this week:

1. Determine your approximate budget
2. Decide of the various aspects of your vacation (accommodations, transportation, tickets, food), which are the most important (the things you are willing to spend more on) and which are less imp0rtant (those that you can scrimp on). For example: stay at a nicer hotel, but save money on food. Or splurge on table service meals every night, but drive instead of fly.
3. See if Disney is offering any special promotions for the time you plan to visit that may apply to you. Note the details, but do not book yet.

OK? We are laying the groundwork here, so that next week we can start researching the first “big” thing to book: where you will stay!

Enjoy planning your affordable Disney family vacation. Have a magical day!

Affordable Disney Vacations Step by Step. Part Three: How Long Will You Stay?

This is part three in my blog series: Affordable Disney Vacations Step by Step. You can read the rest of the posts here.

I get many questions from people who are thinking about visiting Walt Disney World and want Disney World vacation tips and suggestions. Disney vacation planning can be very involved and confusing as well, so the goal of this series is to start at the beginning, and look at everything you need to think about, in the general order you need to think about it. Each week’s post will be numbered and will eventually link to all the others so that, when complete, you will have a guide with all the steps and information you need to plan your own Disney magic.

This week’s post is going to encourage you to give some thought to how long you plan to stay at Disney World: you can’t book your vacation until you know how long you are going to be there!

So first of all, you need to look at your available time, work schedules, school vacations, etc. This is the first step: seeing how much time you have to work with.

Next, since you now have an idea of the parks, attractions, and events you want to see while at Walt Disney World, let’s now discuss how much time it is going to take to do everything you want to do!

As with most everything on a Disney vacation, the answer depends on a number of factors. Let’s talk about 3 of them.

1. Time of year. As I have mentioned before, certain times of the year are more crowded. The more crowded the parks are, the harder it will be to do everything you want to do.
2. Weather. If you are visiting from May through September (at least) you can expect very hot and humid conditions in central Florida. And while some hardy folks arrive at the parks first thing on a hot summer’s day and carry on without taking a break for the entire day and evening, I have never been able to do that….and I really like hot weather! We have found that everyone is much more pleasant during those conditions with a mid-day break in air conditioning or at the hotel pool. But if you do that, it does take time away from the parks…so again, it may take a bit longer to see and do everything you want to do.
3. The age of your children. Little ones need a break, especially in hot weather. Nothing ruins the magic quicker than crying children. Do them…and yourselves….a favor and leave the parks to rest and relax a bit. And allow extra time to see what you want to see.

Having said all of that, in general, how long would it take to visit each park, if you wanted to “see everything”?

To see all four parks completely,  you should plan for at least 5 full days. Note the emphasis on full. If any of the above conditions apply to your plans, expect to need more time. And if you want do any of the “extras”, then allow a bit more.

On our first family trip, we went for a week. It was the middle of the summer so we planned our days in “half-days”, and roughly our itinerary worked out like this:

• Magic Kingdom: 2 half-days and 2 evenings
• Hollywood Studios: 1 half-day and 2 evenings
• Epcot: 2 half-days and 2 evenings
• Animal Kingdom: 2 half-days
• 1 evening left over for whatever we wanted

This is a suggestion only, but worked out well for us, allowed us those much-needed breaks to rest and cool off, and we were able to see pretty much everything we wanted.

Now based on your family’s list of  “must-sees” this could be different. So your next step in planning your Disney vacation is to decide how long you will be there.

Have fun planning your affordable Disney family vacation! Have a magical day!

Affordable Disney Vacations Step by Step. Part Two: What do You Want to See?

This is part two in my blog series: Affordable Disney Vacations Step by Step. You can read the rest of the posts here.

I get many questions from people who are thinking about visiting Walt Disney World and want Disney World vacation tips and suggestions. Disney vacation planning can be very involved and confusing as well, so the goal of this series is to start at the beginning, and look at everything you need to think about, in the general order you need to think about it. Each week’s post will be numbered and will eventually link to all the others so that, when complete, you will have a guide with all the steps and information you need to plan your own Disney magic.

This week we are going to discuss the things that you and your family are interested in seeing on your visit to Walt Disney World. It may seem odd, when planning your vacation, to not immediately choose your hotel…but frankly if you can have an idea of what parks your family will be most interested in (meaning where you will spend most of your time) then you can plan your accommodations accordingly.

For example, do you and your family really enjoy animals and plan to spend a lot of time at Animal Kingdom? If so, then choosing an Epcot area hotel would not be the most convenient…or best use of your time.

You can, and should, tie this into the time of year you plan to visit. For example, will you be visiting during the fall months when the Epcot Food and Wine Festival and Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party at Magic Kingdom are held? Think about your family and their interest in attending these events. Little ones will love the Halloween Party, and you may want to be convenient to the Magic Kingdom to make it easier to attend.

So you want to get a general idea of what is at each of the parks, and what events will be occurring during the time that you plan to be there. But what is the best way to do this?

I know how overwhelming this part can be because there is just SO MUCH to do at Disney World. So you will need some good planning guides to give you an overview of what is available at the parks to help you decide.

I recommend you do two things here:

1. Go to www.disneyworld.com and order their free planning DVD. You will need to sign up for a log-in on their site: do it. You will then get lots of Disney vacation planning information and will be on their email list for promotions and special offers. You may even get a special “email code” that will give you a discount on various bookings. (These are pretty coveted, so if you get one that is helpful to you, lucky you! J )
2. Get a good Disney vacation planner. I have a series of blog posts devoted specifically to this. My favorite, especially if you want to save money, is the Ultimate Disney World Savings Guide.

OK, then, your action step for this week: research what the parks have to offer, and decide what will be most important to you and your family.

Good luck continuing to plan your affordable Disney family vacation! Have a magical day!

Affordable Disney Vacations Step by Step. Part One: When Will You Go?

This is part one in my blog series: Affordable Disney Vacations Step by Step. You can read the rest of the posts here.

I get many questions from people who are thinking about visiting Walt Disney World and want Disney World vacation tips and suggestions. Disney vacation planning can be very involved and confusing as well, so the goal of this series is to start at the beginning, and look at everything you need to think about, in the general order you need to think about it. Each week’s post will be numbered and will eventually link to all the others so that, when complete, you will have a guide with all the steps and information you need to plan your own Disney magic.

So, as Mickey would say: “On with the show!”

Let’s start at the beginning, because you can’t really do any other Disney vacation planning until you do this: when are you going to go?

I think you can’t really decide this until you take an honest look at yourself, your family, and everyone’s tolerance for things like crowds, heat, rain, as well as your budget to a certain extent.

Let’s look at a common scenario: If you have children, you may need to plan around school vacations: summer, Thanksgiving, Christmas, spring breaks etc. If you do this, it is important to realize that everyone else will probably be doing that as well. So, these are the times that will be most crowded. Is that ok for you and your family? These are the times that can also be the most expensive, or offer the fewest discounts. What is your budget like?

Are your children in school? Will going during the school year compromise their school work and grades? Many people choose to visit Disney World during the school year, precisely to avoid the hot weather and crowds, but if you are considering this, make sure you discuss this with your child’s school and/teacher.

Consider how you feel about weather as well. Do you mind heat and humidity? If you do, then you should probably not consider a vacation during the summer months. Florida humidity is brutal if you are not used to it, and vacations during this time of year require careful logistics to keep everyone from having “meltdowns”.

The thing is, there is no right or wrong answer to any of these questions, just what is right for you and your family. Everyone has a different comfort level when it comes to this. Only you know what is best for your family.

For this week then, let’s decide when you are going to go. Look at school and work holidays if necessary to help you decide when you want to visit. And in addition to the above, it will be helpful to consider the following:

1. Try to plan as far ahead as possible, 6 -9 months in advance is optimal.
2. Try to allow some flexibility at this point in your planning: have a general idea of the time of year, or the month that you want to visit, but if possible, don’t choose an actual week/days. Having some degree of flexibility may allow you to save money down the road when booking your hotel room and transportation, since even within a season some days of the week will be less expensive than other.

Good luck with your affordable Disney vacation planning. Have a magical day!

Learn the Basics of a Disney Vacation with Birnbaum’s Walt Disney World

The final post in my series about my favorite Disney vacation guides, is all about the “official” Disney travel guide, Birnbaum’s Walt Disney World . While not the biggest, most detailed guidebook, and certainly not the most critical (as it is approved by Disney, it can’t be), this little book, nevertheless, holds a very special place in my heart…and may very well hold one in yours as well.

I will say that I truly love Birnbaum’s Walt Disney World travel guide. Part of this is due to the fact that this was the first Disney book I purchased, when we were planning our very first visit to Walt Disney World. But beyond that, I really feel that this book is an excellent option to help in your Disney vacation planning…mostly because it provides a very nice, initial, overview for what to expect at Disney World. Think of it as “setting the stage” for beginning to learn about the best way to plan a Disney vacation.

If you have never been to Walt Disney World, I really think this is a great way to start. Get a feel for what is available, see what appeals to your family….and then move forward with more detailed planning. I kind of compare it to getting in a pool: you can jump in the “deep end” with a completely detailed guide about absolutely everything there is to know…but you risk getting in over your head quickly if you do lol! For me, I kind of liked starting at the shallow end, and getting used to the water before venturing into that deep water.

It is important to realize that as the official Disney-endorsed book, it is not unbiased. Even so, I found it to be especially helpful especially regarding rides. When we were still new to Walt Disney World, the “Birnbaum’s Best” designation for some of the rides was how my family decided which rides were must-sees.

With maps and graphics that really help a Disney newbie get a sense of what the parks look like, it is a light and easy read, and in my opinion is a must-read for anyone who has never been to Walt Disney World. Birnbaum’s Walt Disney World travel guide is the absolute best way to plan a Disney vacation for a first-time visitor.

So there you have it. A collection of great Disney vacation guidebooks, each providing great information for planning a Disney World vacation. Which is the right one for you?

New Savings on Disney Resort Rooms

News Flash for affordable Disney family vacations! Walt Disney World has just announced a new promotion for the first half of the year! The details are as follows:

This offer, for 25%-45% off of the “rack rate” of Disney resort hotel rooms, is good for stays from Jan. 1, 2010 to June 3, 2010 with some black-out dates.

• You can save 25% at Disney Value Resorts for stays from 1-4 nights and 30% when you stay 5 nights or longer
• You can save 30% at Disney Moderate Resorts for stays from 1-4 nights and 35% when you stay 5 nights or longer
• You can save 35% at Disney Deluxe Resorts for stays from 1-4 nights and save 40% when you stay 5 nights or longer
• And you can save 40% at Disney Deluxe Villa Resorts for stays from 1-4 nights and 45% when you stay 5 nights or longer

Book your stay by calling the Walt Disney World resort at (407) 939-2662 or contact your travel agent, and use code QNY. You must book by March 27, 2010.

Click here for more information.

Are You an Organizer? The Best Way to Plan a Disney Vacation is with the Passporter Walt Disney World

Have you found the best vacation guide yet, to help you plan an affordable Disney family vacation? If you really like to be organized, then have I got a Disney guidebook for you!

PassPorter Walt Disney World is very possibly one of my favorite Disney vacation planners, probably because organization is my thing. Filled with lots of detailed information about every aspect of Walt Disney World, in cluding the parks, the resorts, and the restaurants, it is organized so well that it is very easy to follow….and very easy to quickly find just what you are looking for.

The authors cover each of the 4 parks in great detail, including full-color fold-out maps, tons of their personal pictures, and a complete description of every ride and attraction (this is so helpful!). There are also profiles of each of the Disney-owned hotels which also include maps, color photos, and room layouts. And then there are the reviews of each of the Disney World dining options….all 300+ of them. What is especially nice are the average meal costs for each, from counter-service to table-service. This is a great help when trying to decide where you want to eat before you get to Disney!

All of this is great and makes the Passporter Walt Disney World a valuable resource in itself. But the aspect that I like the best are the handy organizer pockets and journal. This is the perfect place to keep your maps, passes, receipts, must-see lists, as well as anything else that you need to keep! And with a place to make notes and journal memories of your trip, you end up with a wonderful keepsake at the end of your trip!

So, is it important to you to have a well-organized Disney vacation planner? Do you like the idea of being able to keep everything in one place? If so, then for you, the best way to plan a Disney vacation will be with the PassPorter Walt Disney World.

(And if you have missed my other posts on Disney vacation guides, you can find them all here.)