Help with Disney trip Nov. 2010 Vacation Planning Tips & Tricks Discuss Help with Disney trip Nov. 2010 in the Vacation Planning forums; Hello. I am hoping you can help me with a few questions I have regarding a trip to Disney. My inlaws are taking us to Disney next year and I ...

[stacerrn]

Hello. I am hoping you can help me with a few questions I have regarding a trip to Disney. My inlaws are taking us to Disney next year and I am trying to find a way to do it the most economical. The meal plan sounds so great but I believe it doesn't come out as a free option, if it does, until Aug. for Nov. Right now they are offering buy 4 get 3 free on hotel. Is that considered one of the better deals that we should jump? What are deals that we should jump on? And what deal is the best to book. I don't know if waiting is the best option. If we did get a buy 4 get 3 free promotion would we still be eligible for the free meal plan if it came out? Thank you so much for helping. I know I have a lot of questions but I don't want my inlaws to go in debt over this trip. Thanks again and I hope to hear from you.

Stacey

[supernova]

If you're going to jump on it, jump soon! They're ending those offers sometime in the near future. Also, since your trip is a year out, I'd check to see the availability dates of any offers you are going to be taking advantage of. There are some great travel agents out there, many of which are plugged on Disney podcasts, who offer their services free of charge, and they'll often take the guess work out of which offers to choose. Plus, they're experts, so they can really do some digging for us. As a place to start, you might even want to call Disney directly, just to see what they suggest. From there, you can take that information to a travel agent and they might be able to help you customize a package for you and your family!

[Sharon&Randy]

Hi!
I believe supernova is correct. Using a travel agent is a great idea!
We have used MouseFanTravel and they are wonderful!
Just tell them you want to go the cheapest possible way and they will help you out!

We are a family of six and the free dining works out the best for us because of how many is in our group and we do not buy park tickets for everyday. For yourselves you would have to crunch some numbers. Would you save money with free dining, extra days with tickets, or even discounted room rates. If you get one deal it will not be able to be combined with another deal. For example, 4 get 3 free cannot be combined with free dining. The agents would really help and are free!

This is a great site to get advice from everyone!
Sharon

[TTAfanatic]

I agree with Supernova, Sharon&Randy, Mousefan travel is great, I suggest getting a free quote, they don't bug you about once you get the quote, so there is no pressure. They know what they are doing, and can help you figure things out. Also, if you are trying to save money, and if you are not against using a credit card, I suggest getting a Disney Visa, you can use the reward points earned just like cash in the parks to pay for food, souvineers, and pretty much anything else. I set up things like my phone bill, satalite, netflix, and any other bills that can be paid with a credit card, and then pay the bill off each month, while accumulating points for my vacation. The trick is to pay it off each month though.

[supernova]

Great idea on the Disney Visa card! Unless you're going full cash or debitting your trip, if you can pay for the trip and earn some extra Disney dollars to spend on the trip, even better.

[WDW Donna]

Mousefan Travel is excellent, but look around too. We got an awsome deal through CAA/AAA. We always book as early as we can. The travel agency you pick will probably let you know if deals change or a better one comes up so you can adjust it accordingly. A company here in Canada did that once and we saved on airfare. We just came back yesterday and happened to book air online and Coronado Springs through CAA/AAA and saved alot.
I did all the legwork when my inlaws took us a couple of years ago and we went with a travel agent. There were 14 of us so if you need any advice let me know.

[stacerrn]

Wow,

Thank you so much for all the replies. I was so surprised as I need all the help I can get. Jet Blue has such great deals that I think I can get it resonable on my own by watching? Any thoughts? Also what do you book first the hotel and then plane after?
Thank you all for helping me out.

Stacey

[stacerrn]

Hello Again,

Now the I know there are great people that will help out I got another question: Which value resort is everyones favorite? My boys are 4, 10, and 12. Thank you.

Stacey

[supernova]

Pop Century is nice and had a great layout for pools. Plus, I enjoy their eatery. I don't know how bus service is there, but the bus route for Movies/Music/Sports is awful.

Yes, book your hotel first, as you might lock yourself into non-refundable plane tickets and then not be able to find accommodations.

Keep us posted.

[disneyfun55]

Originally Posted by supernova

Pop Century is nice and had a great layout for pools. Plus, I enjoy their eatery. I don't know how bus service is there, but the bus route for Movies/Music/Sports is awful.

Yes, book your hotel first, as you might lock yourself into non-refundable plane tickets and then not be able to find accommodations.

Keep us posted.

I can't agree with supernova more!!! PoP! Century is defenetly the way to go - I just recommend requesting a non-ground floor room as the foot traffic at all of the value resorts can be a little loud sometimes right outside your door/window. The bus route is spectacular with ussually a dedicated bus line due to it's location on property. Your boys will love the resort! The food court and store are one of the best resort food courts on property imho!

As for the booking question, I would strongly recommend using Mousefan Travel as they will book the best package for your based on your criteria with the best available discounts! The best thing is, as I understand it, if a better package becomes available - THEY WILL GIVE YOU THE OPTION TO SWITCH TO THAT NEW PACKAGE!!! You can't do that with Disney with out major headaches and doing a lot of homework. Let Mousefan Travel do the hard work for you. (I am not affiliated with them, I just love what they can do!)

[stacerrn]

Thank you so much for all the information. Any other opinions are much appreciated.

Stacey

[bety]

I know you may be concerned about the cost of the meal plan since it may not be offered for free during the time of your trip, but I would strongly suggest that you get it anyway. My most recent trip (last week) was the first time I used the meal plan and the savings were significant! Just our dinners cost $130, $100, $70, and $55. With snack and counter service meals added in, that's well worth the $40-something a day!