Trip of a Lifetime for LESS
My first tip is the time of year that you go. You have probably heard of how horrible the crowds can be in the summer or during the holidays at Disney World, and those horror stories are true. Lines in the Orlando heat with millions of children just simply isn’t my idea of a dream vacation so I always suggest to travel during the off months. Of course that isn’t always possible, but if you can do it, I highly suggest it not just for your wallet, but for your nerves as well. September and May are the times of year I most often suggest. They are milder in temperatures….although September is still warm…you can back that up to October which is also just as nice, just not Halloween, again, think crowds. These times of the year are not only less crowded (I’ve never experienced wait times for rides in these months), but they are also less expensive.
My second tip for planning this incredible vacation, which I assure that you will adore as much as the kiddo’s will, is to stay On Site with Disney Resorts. You will save by doing this in many ways, especially when you go during the off season. When you stay on-site you will have access to all of Disney’s transportation to and from each resort, each park, each water park, and Downtown Disney. This is a huge savings in itself when you calculate the money saved on parking fees alone. Add to the savings the time that you will save by using the monorail system, busses, and even boats throughout the parks. Instead of spending time in traffic burning your own gas you will be you’re your family enjoying the time together and taking in the sights. Your kids will LOVE it, especially the monorail. 
When you book your stay ask about Disney Dining deals! This is so important because throughout the year they offer various discounts, at times even offering FREE DINING which I highly suggest taking advantage of for sure! There are several dining plans to look into, but what you want to look for is the time that they are offering the Standard Plus Dining Plan for FREE! What does this mean? This dining plan includes 1 counter-service meal credit, 1 table-service meal credit, and 1 snack credit per person, per night of stay. Receiving this dining plan free of charge saves a family of four about $107 per night of stay, based on the regular cost of this dining plan. This is a huge savings over a week’s vacation. You can upgrade to the Deluxe dining plan and just pay the difference between the standard and the deluxe plans. When you look at the various restaurants that Disney offers, please look beyond the counter service meals which really do leave much to be desired and look at the character meals, dinner shows, dining events, and fine/signature dining. Being a lover of travel I can honestly tell you that two of my favorite restaurants are in Disney hands down. To get a better idea of the dining plan and its details, check out Disney Dining Plan’s details. Be sure to look at the wide variety of restaurants as well. For a breakdown of all the restaurants in all FOUR parks, check out All Ears for a detailed listing and menu’s. This list is invaluable when planning your meals which you will do ahead of time (about 90 days out) for the many of the restaurants require reservations. There are also MANY websites out there which are geared toward helping you make the most of Disney World and doing it for the least amount of money. If you simply start searching it will get overwhelming very quickly. There are a few which are hands down the best and sites that I never plan a trip without consulting. I also have a huge listing of FREE activities at Walt Disney World. Free isn’t a word you will find often when visiting Disney so these are things you will want to know about ahead of time and take full advantage of for sure. My blog on Monday, September 27th will outline these websites and message boards along with a detailed listing of FREE activites to enjoy during your trip of a lifetime for less!
Posted by Kelly on October 20, 2010 Tags: Travel Savings
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