tips on doing disney cheap!!!!!!

Hi, I'm a Disney Travel Agent and I would love to give you my advice on going to Disney for less:

1. Drive by car (8 to 9 hours to Orlando)
2. Sign up online with hotel chains (Super 8, Knights Inn, etc) and you'll get discount.
3. Get a motel room with kitchette/fridge to cut down eating out cost.
4. Bring backpack filled with foods/water with you to Disney park. Food prices at park are crazy.
5. Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom are most popular for your child's age.
6. Compare ticket price: Park Hopper 1 day vs. One Park Per Day cost. Have Florida friend or relative? Have them buy Florida resident discount tix for you (they must go with you).
7. Don't mind camping? Bringing a tent and rent the nearest campground lot for $25 per night.
8. Go to low, low season. It's during end of January/whole February and whole September. Less lines at park and low lodging rate.
9. Don't want to pay parking at the park each day? Park your car at the Downtown Disney grocery store section (across from Downtown Disney gate) and take a Disney bus to the park.
10. Buy souvenirs outside of Disney - they're cheaper than at park.

 

get tourguidemike.com

I highly, highly recommend tourguidemike.com. He will tell you exactly what days and order to do what and when-plan your whole itenerary and give you recommendations on everything-high low and middle priced. He will suggest little known things and perks that make your trip special.

Part of the big pain of Disney is the waiting and crowded parks. With TGM we zipped from one thing to another-we never waited over 15 minutes for anything and we had an order to where we went next. People stand around in the parks and try to hash out what they are going to do and it is a total time killer and then when they get to their ride have to wait for 1 hour. We never did this-we have gone in October and March.

One extra thing he told us was a place to wait for the parade at one of the parks (I actually can't remember now!) It was right by the gate where it starts. Well-we were waiting and about 10 minutes before the parade some guys came out and got the kids to be marshalls. They went behind the gates, met all the characters and walked in the parade! Without TGM we wouldn't have known this. I think the charge for TGM is around $20-best money I spent on Disney.

And just me but I wouldn't choose Magic Kingdom with the youngest at 9. I would pick from the other 3 especially if you are big roller riders.

Have fun!

 

No, they cannot. Each person must show some of ID proving they live in FL.

And all of Feb is not "low" season. Have you looked at the prices for President Weekend?

 

The YES program has some open enrollment January dates.

 

Dont you have to pay to use that website? -db's wife

 

Please vote!!!!

Should I chose:
Magic Kingdom/Epcot
Magic Kingdom/MGM
or
Epcot/MGM

We arent doing any park hoppers. just two days two parks.
Im really leaning towards the last combo because lots of people are telling me my 9 yr old will enjoy Magic Kingdom but will get more out of Epcot and MGM at his age and maturity level.

We leave this Sunday!!!

DB's wife

 

Magic Kingdom/Epcot

Those other places are cool but I would consider them "add ons" to the destination parks I mentioned above. I wouldn't go all the way down there, spend that kind of loot....and not see either MK/Epcot.

There's more bang for your buck at both places and don't worry about ages. Hell I'm 36 and I love both the same as I did when I was 6.

 

:iagree:

 

I'm glad I saw this thread. We are going to Disney in February! We've already booked our room at The Contemporary which is not cheap so we'd like to save money on everything else. We are driving too to save cost. My oldest daughter will be there on her birthday! She is so excited. Do they have anything special for you if you go there on your birthday?

 

Magic Kingdom /Epcot

 

Don't you think some here will say you are still 6 mentally?

 

Do with the breakfast with the characters, which is in the contemporary resort, and they will do something for her.

I was there in September.

 

Without question.... :lol:

 

Well, we made reservations for Chef Mickey's at the Contemporary for dinner on my daughter's birthday, and we also made reservations for Cinderella's Round Table (I think that's what it's called) at the castle for breakfast one day. My youngest daughter loves the princesses. I bet September was a good time to go. I'm hoping February won't be bad either.

 

Chef Mickey's is the character breakfast so you have that covered. Tell someone there about the birthday and I'm sure they will do something for her.

We went the week after labor day and it just so happened to coincide with the weekend NC State played football at Central Florida (which is in Orlando).

Anyway, between the economy sucking out loud and it being the first week the local kids were back in school, the place was a ghost town. On most rides we just stayed on them and rode a second time since nobody was in line.

One employee told me she had never seen it so desolate and almost started crying. It was freaky since every other time I had been there it was crazy packed.

 

We went in April about 5 years ago and it was crazy packed too. I think it was Spring Break for a lot of people. My oldest was only 3 at the time. 3 year olds do not like waiting in lines!

 

Yes-It is about $22-but it was well worth my money to use it. If you have a limited time to be there he will tell you based on your kids age and time what things to do and what order to do them-so $$ saved by packing more into your day and happier kids from standing in long lines.

 

Uh oh. We are going Presidents weekend. No wonder the rates weren't that great.

 

I don't think Presidents weekend is a big tourist weekend. :lol:

 

Hope not :lol: