You CAN afford it!

So many people have told me "I'd love to go to Disney World, but I just can't afford it!"  It is my mission to assure you, a Walt Disney World vacation can be affordable!  For our family, a week at the beach costs about the same thing as a week at Walt Disney World.  We have paid upwards of $200 a night for a hotel in Myrtle Beach during the summer, and that doesn't even count what we spend on food and entertainment.  When we go to Disney World, tickets and dining are included in the total price of our vacation package (we always get the dining plan).   That includes a resort stay in a Walt Disney World resort, park tickets (regular Magic Your Way), plus dining, and we don't usually pay much more than $200-$300 per day. 

So here are my budget planning tips:

1.  Don't buy park tickets for every day that you're there.  We usually reserve a couple of days for down-time.  We go to Downtown Disney, resort hop (visit other resorts), or just hang around the pool at our resort.

2.  Don't buy park hopper passes.  Yes, it is nice to be able to park hop, but when you're planning on a budget, it is just not worth it.  We still come and go to the parks as we please, but we just leave and come back to the same park in the same day.  We just aren't able to go to 2 (or more) parks in the same day.  No big loss to me.

3.  Save on dining.  If you are planning to do character meals, or table service meals, go with the Disney Dining Plan.  It is well worth it.  If you are just planning to grab a bite whenever you get hungry, you're probably better off without it. 

4.  Shop for deals.  You can check out Special Offers at waltdisneyworld.com.  This is where you can find room discounts, or special offers like free dining or ticket discounts.  You can also use websites like mousesavers, and knowbeforeugo.com to find discounted tickets, if you're not using a vacation package.

5.  Compare prices.  When I help people plan a trip for their budget, I create a spreadsheet where I lay out prices and options like dining plans, resorts, and number of tickets.  That way they can see all the different options they have within their budget.  For example, maybe you could stay in a moderate or deluxe resort with no dining plan for about the same price as staying in a value resort with the dining plan.  Try different options and find which one works best for your needs and your budget.

6.  Try the Chase Disney Rewards Visa card.  You get 6 months with 0% interest to pay off your vacation, plus you earn Disney Rewards points for any purchases you make.  You can save up your points to pay for future Disney trips!   I'm not a big supporter of credit card use, but I use this card for everything, and just pay it off at the end of every month. 

With a little effort, you will find that you can plan a trip to Disney World on your budget.  So get started planning your magical vacation! 

Until next time...
Disney Diva

Art of Animation

Walt Disney World has added a new resort to its value category - The Art of Animation Resort.  Art of Animation includes four themed buildings - Finding Nemo, Cars, The Lion King, and The Little Mermaid.  The first three buildings will be made up of family suites which accommodate up to 6 guests.  The Little Mermaid building will have standard rooms.  Finding Nemo is open now, Cars is set to open next week, Lion King is on schedule to open in August, and The Little Mermaid should open in September.  Like other resorts in the value category, Art of Animation includes three pool areas, and an on-site food court. 

Family suites start at $249 per night. Standard rooms start at $97 per night.  What a great value for a fantastic new resort!

You can find out more about the Art of Animation resort at http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/resorts/art-of-animation-resort/.

I can't wait to see it for myself!

Until next time...
Disney Diva

It Matters When You Go!

So, if you're planning a vacation to Walt Disney World, the first question you have to answer is a biggie - "When to go?"  I was just reminded of the importance of this question today as I was planning our next vacation.  I discovered that visiting the parks just one week later, would save us over $150 on our total vacation package!  What?!?!?  That's because the first week I was thinking of fell during summer season, and the next during value season.  Sometimes, by changing the dates of your vacation by only a few days, you can save hundreds of dollars!  The days of the week you'll be staying also make a difference.  Weeknights, of course, are slightly less expensive than weekends in the resorts.  Check out this breakdown for Pop Century from mousesavers.com.  You can see what a big difference the dates you choose can make.  Taking the time to research pricing for different dates can really pay off in the long run!

Until next time...
Disney Diva

Tips and Tricks for Getting the Lowest Price!

I know there are lots of you who say "I would love to take my family to Disney World, I just can't afford it."  You are the reason I started this blog!  People say that to me all the time and it is my goal to let you know you CAN afford Disney World!  Here are some ways I do it:

First off, I have the Chase Disney Rewards Visa card.  Now I'm not a huge fan of credit cards, but I use this one to buy stuff like gas and groceries and stuff, and I pay it off every month.  It is not a great rewards program, but it does have some perks.  There are two reasons why I love this card.  One, because I save up my rewards points and use them for spending money at Disney World, and two, because you get 0% APR financing for 6 months, so I get 6 months to pay off my Disney trip, which helps.  There are also some theme park perks, like a special character meet and greet for cardmembers only, discounted tours, and a complimentary 5x7 photo!

Second, choose your days wisely.  When staying at a Disney resort, weeknights are cheaper than weekdays.  Also, some times of year are cheaper than others.  Spring Break, Mid-summer, Thanksgiving, and Christmas are some of the most expensive times to visit, so if you can plan your trip away from those times, you can get some great discounts.

Of course, there are special offers, too.  We have enjoyed free dining for almost all of our Walt Disney World vacations.  These special offers are only available on certain dates, but if you can go during these times, it is SO WORTH IT!  Disney also offers percentage off hotels, and kids stay and play free packages from time to time.  There is also a military discount, which is pretty good.  The special offers are not as plentiful as they have been in the past few years, but they will still release them from time to time, so keep an eye out for those.

If you're not on the dining plan, dine outside of the parks for most of your meals.  If you want to eat somewhere in the parks, do it at breakfast or lunch, when the prices are lower.  We all know restaurant portions are huge, so consider sharing, if you can.  You can also bring drinks and snacks into the parks with you so you don't have to buy them at the park.

And there are always ways to save, like staying off-site, dining off-site, and buying tickets from a discount site.  All of those are options if that's what works for your family, but I do recommend the Disney World vacation package if you can swing it!  We have always chosen a vacation package, and have been able to book for a family of four (including resort, park tickets, and dining) for about $200-$300 per day.  That's about what we'd spend on any other vacation!

Where there is a will, there is a way, when it comes to taking your family on a Disney vacation!  It is a special trip where you'll make magical memories your family will remember forever.  You CAN afford it!  Don't miss out because you think you can't!

Until next time...
Disney Diva