Spring Special Offer

There is a new offer out for a room discount at Disney World this Spring.  The offer includes 20-30% off most resorts, and 15% off at Art of Animation (Disney's newest resort - The Little Mermaid Standard Rooms are not included in the offer).  You can also save on tickets for select nights during the available dates.  The room offer is good starting now through March 23, and April 2-June 14.  The ticket discount will be available most nights Feb. 21- March 7, and April 7 - May 23.  This is not one of the best offers I've seen, but it can definitely save you some money if you were planning a trip during these dates.  To book or get more information, click here.  Happy planning!

Until next time...
Disney Diva

Thinking of Taking a Disney Vacation?

Disney just released new free dining dates for Disney Visa cardholders from September - December 2012.  These deals are usually released to the public soon after, so be on the lookout for that if you're thinking of going to Disney this Fall.  You cannot beat a free dining deal!  Once the offer goes public, you can find it at http://www.waltdisneyworld.com/ under Special Offers.

Also, starting today,  you can book 2013 Disney vacations on http://www.waltdisneyworld.com/.   Quick tip:  You can go ahead and  book your vacation for the dates you have in mind, and if a deal comes out between now and then, you can apply it to your already existing reservation!

It's a great time to start thinking about a trip to Walt Disney World!

Until next time...
Disney Diva

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

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

Discounts

Wondering if you might be able to get a discount on your Walt Disney World vacation?  The answer is YES!  I have never been to Disney World without some sort of discount.  That being said, the rumor is, they will be releasing fewer discounts than they have in recent history because bookings have increased.  Nevertheless, there are still discounts being offered, and you can take advantage of them!  Disney's current special offers can be found here on the waltdisneyworld.com website.  To get an idea about when a special offer might come along for the dates you're planning, take a look here on the mousesavers.com website to see when discounted rates have been released in the past.

Disney also has something called a bounceback offer, where you can book your next vacation while you're on the current one.  You can look for these offers in resort hotel rooms.  These offers can only be booked, though, while on your current vacation.  There are no exceptions.

Also, if you are planning a Disney vacation, make sure you become a member of their website, as they periodically send out special "code" offers by email.  To get these offers, you have to have the PIN you were emailed.  Likewise, these offers may be sent out to members of anyone who has an account with the Disney store, Disney Rewards Visa, or has requested the free vacation planning dvd.  Let them know you're interested, and you might get just the discount you were hoping for!

So don't feel overwhelmed by prices when you look into a Disney World vacation!  You can make it happen!  So start planning!

Until next time...
Disney Diva





Until next time...
Disney Diva