Disney on a budget?
As a veteran of five Disney campaigns I’ve experienced most types of Disney holiday. I’ve stayed in a Disney resort, a hotel on International Drive and an apartment. I’d like to think that I’m experienced enough to offer an informed opinion on the pros and cons of each style.
Disney is magical and as a Disney-loving family our holidays to Orlando have always been special. In June we embarked on our first time staying in a Disney resort. We have always thought it bumped the price up so went for other options previously. This time though we planned well in advance and the benefits were plentiful.
The first benefit of forward planning is taking advantage of the Disney dining plan offer. This can be a minefield as the level of accommodation you stay at determines which offer you get. However, if you can negotiate your way through it with your friendly travel consultant there are bargains to be had.
We stayed at Caribbean Beach which is classed as a ‘moderate’ resort. This roughly translates to a 3-4-star hotel. With moderate resorts the free dining offer gives you two quick service meals and two snacks per person, per day. We decided to upgrade this free package to include a waiter service meal. Waiter service meals are in restaurants that can be themed and have character dining. They tend to offer Disney’s ‘all you care to enjoy’ or a buffet! Whilst you are enjoying your meal, Mickey and friends will walk around the restaurant ensuring they visit every table and interact with the kids, taking photos and signing autographs and sprinkling some magic!
The cost for this was a mere £240 for a family of four to upgrade for 10 nights. We dined at Chip & Dales Garden Grill in Epcot on the first night. The bill for this meal alone was $220 so within a couple of meals we had more than made great use of it.
Conservatively we worked out that over the ten nights we stayed, the free dining plan and the upgrade saved us between £1500-£1800. The true hidden gem though were the two snacks a day each. These could be used for any item with the Disney snack sign next to it. This included soft drinks, pretzels, ice creams or breakfast items like croissants.
Disney tickets are always a talking point. The answer for anyone wishing to spend more than three days in Disney parks is the Disney Ultimate ticket. It will pay for itself by day four. Entrance on the day is approximately £100 per person per park. The Ultimate ticket not only makes great financial sense but there are added benefits, Magic hours, park hopping and Fast Passes for starters.
Fast Passes are invaluable when you go for the right rides, at the right times. This is where some knowledge and experience of what the best rides are and when to book them is key. I’ve seen people waste fast passes on shows and rides that are never that busy. Then queuing for three hours to get on Avatar Flight of Passage. If you buy an Ultimate ticket and you are not staying at a Disney hotel you get the chance to select your Fast Passes one month prior to departure. But those staying at a Disney resort get the opportunity two months prior. This effectively means that by staying at Disney you get the pick of the rides!
We’ve saved money with the dining plan, saved money and more importantly time with the Disney Ultimate ticket. Now let’s look at how to get there.
The obvious option is always Virgin/British Airways, direct into Orlando. But sometimes thinking a little differently can save money and enhance the trip. Some agents will just offer you Disney only packages. This is either due to lack of awareness or technology to allow them to tailor a trip. But if you are open to seeing more than just Disney there are some great options and ideas.
We took advantage of a BA seat sale. You can never guarantee when these are going to happen, so you might have to react quickly when they do. Orlando wasn’t included in the sale. Miami was though. I had planned to have ten nights at Disney and four nights on the beach anyway. So, an easy change of plane at Heathrow and a flight to Miami saved us £1800 in total against the cost of flying direct. For some people it is a price not worth paying but for us it made sense.
Flying into Miami then gave us the opportunity for two nights on Miami Beach. On previous trips to Disney we have flown straight in and started at Magic Kingdom the next day. This was something we were keen to avoid as jetlag had led to a bit of a let down on the first day. An easy three-hour drive to Orlando and we were ready to go.
Car hire is next for potential savings. If you are just staying at a Disney resort and only visiting the Disney parks, then it is possible to manage without a car at all. The Disney Magical Express is a shuttle service from the airport to all the Disney resorts. Once you are in a resort there is a bus network which is apparently bigger than New York’s! Every 20-30 minutes you can get to everywhere within Disney World. If you are wanting to visit Universal Studios, Cape Canaveral or Lego Land which are all within an hour’s drive then a car is a necessity. Car hire in Florida is cheaper than the rest of America though so can still be a really useful addition.
We all unanimously agreed that it was better than the previous trips. Staying in a Disney hotel with kids under 11 is magical. Disney do a wonderful job of keeping it going through every aspect of your stay. Like the tooth fairy and Father Christmas it’s special and doesn’t last for ever so experiences like this make the most of their age and what a time for any child!
Things to bear in mind. On the dining plans tips are not included for Waiter Service meals and can be a surprise so be prepared. British Airways sales can vary on destinations and value so be ready to pounce. Fast Passes are amazing, use them wisely. Or maybe speak to someone who’s been and knows and might be able to arrange not only that but the whole trip for you!