The Complete Idiot's Guide to Walt Disney World, 2012 Edition Read online

  • Establish your budget (see Chapter 2). Disney trips are rarely cheap, so you’ll want to determine how much you can afford so that you can pick the right transportation to Florida, a hotel in your price range, tickets, and more. Use the guide in Chapter 2 as you go along to make sure you don’t have to take out a second mortgage just to visit Mickey Mouse.

  • Plan your transportation (see Chapter 3). Determine how you’ll get to the Orlando area and then how you’ll move around, whether it is by cab, rental car, bus, or other kind of transportation solution.

  • Decide on tickets (see Chapter 4). Figure out what kind of theme park ticket package is right for your group and how best to buy it.

  • Select your accommodations (see Chapters 6–11). Pick your temporary home at Walt Disney World, selecting that perfect place that fits your budget as well as your group’s resort stay needs.

  When you have all of these items planned out, it’s time to make those reservations. Book your flights or plan your driving route to Orlando. Reserve your room and order your tickets. After that, you can get into the real fun of Walt Disney World vacation planning, as you delve into the daily details of what you’ll see, where you’ll eat, and how you’ll experience the greatest vacation destination in the world!

  Making Your Reservations

  With whom should you make your reservations? There are numerous avenues to do this, and no single one is the right solution for all parties. Should you buy everything separately? Should you buy a package?

  Where to Buy

  If you’re making your trip reservation directly with Disney, make sure you call them. It may be convenient to make the reservation on the website, but it doesn’t pick up on all the specials that might be available. If you call them (407-939-7675), you can ask about any specials they may offer. On one trip they saved me $300 over the online price.

  What about travel agents? There’s no reason not to consider this option; a knowledgeable agent can be of great help. Keep an eye out for offers in your local newspaper, and see if any of your neighborhood agents are specialists in Disney trips. Or you could go with a national agent, like Mouse Fan Travel or Dreams Unlimited, who are specialists in Disney trips. They, like select others, are Authorized Disney Vacation Planners. There are also good deals to be had from AAA, AARP, and other similar organizations.

  Bottom line: The most important thing is to look at a few offers and compare them to see which package best meets your needs for the least amount of money. I have found some great deals by dealing with Disney directly, but I know exactly what I need and how to get it. Lately, I have begun to see the light about working with agencies which are Authorized Disney Vacation Planners. Don’t skip the important step of looking at good offers from travel service companies; they may have something good to offer.

  Why work with an Authorized Disney Vacation Planner? Well, it’s a good idea if you want to save time and money. Interested? Beci Mahnken of Mouse Fan Travel, an Authorized Disney Vacation Planner, is well known in the world of Walt Disney World enthusiasts. When you work with one of her agents, you get some great benefits, including:

  • No Fees. They are a fee-free agency that makes their money from Disney, and that adds nothing to the cost of the vacation to you. This is extremely important, as many travel agents charge a fee, and you don’t always know about it up front.

  • Discounts. Obviously, Mouse Fan Travel applies any discounts available when you book your trip. But even after you have booked your trip through them, if a better discount comes along, they apply it to your trip and you save even more money. And because they are dialed in to all things Disney, they know of pretty much every promotion.

  • Dining and activity reservations. Tell them your dining or activity wishes and they will work to get those reservations for you. When you get to the dining chapters in Part 3 and read about the Advance Dining Reservations system at Walt Disney World, you will know that this will take a huge amount of work off of your trip planning load.

  • Special events. Mouse Fan Travel gets access to select special events, and can get you into some fun activities that you may never have found on your own.

  • Disney Cruise Line. They are experts here, too, so you can look to them to help with these plans as well!

  • Advice. They can provide specific advice particular to your group—it’s like having a guidebook, but isn’t reading my book more fun?

  To give you an idea of how much I feel these agents can be of good value to you, I plan on using an agency for my next trip. Safe to say, I know what I am doing when it comes to traveling to Walt Disney World, and I know that using them is my best option. They can be found at www.mousefantravel.com.

  What to Buy

  As you read this book, you’ll find out what elements you will need to buy and what other costs you may incur. From theme park tickets (see Chapter 4) to food costs (see Chapters 12–15) and more, you’ll need to spend some of your hard-earned money in plenty of places. Chapter 2 helps you figure out just what all that is and how much you should spend.

  Daily Planning

  Now that you have your general vacation dates planned, let’s get into the daily details. Take out your Weekly Schedule Card from Appendix B and start to fill in the blanks as you develop your plan.

  Step 1: What Park on What Day?

  You will find in the Vacations Strategy chapter a section on how to plan which park you visit on which day. It also speaks to what to do on your arrival and departure days as well, if parks are not going to be involved. However, there are a few things to remember:

  • Make sure you plan enough relaxation afternoons for children in your group. Naps or pool time can help kids stay well rested and energized for the rest of the trip.

  • Just because there are four parks doesn’t mean you have to visit each one. If you have a three- and a five-year-old, you probably will want to visit the Magic Kingdom more than once, even if at the expense of seeing one of the other parks.

  • If you have a dinner show planned in the evening, make sure that you give yourself enough time to get back to your resort to change or freshen up, and then enough time to get there early.

  DID YOU KNOW?

  Several websites are dedicated to Walt Disney World. If you’re looking to get even more in-depth trip information, you should visit these:

  www.disneyworld.com—Get the official word on what times parks are open, what rides will be closed for repairs, and just about anything else.

  www.disneyworldmoms.com—Part of the Walt Disney World website, you will find a panel of real moms, dads, and grandparents who can answer any of your vacation planning questions. They are not Disney employees, but impartial lovers of Disney World who can answer your specific questions as based on their own real experiences.

  www.allears.net—This is a great place to view resort photos, look up restaurant menus, and get reviews on just about everything. Of special note is that you can view photos of the attraction seating available for special-needs guests. This website is run by Deb Wills, who is also the author of PassPorter’s Walt Disney World for Your Special Needs.

  Step 2: What Meals?

  Now that you know where you’ll be each day, it’s time to figure out your dining schedule. Review the chapters in Part 3 to find out where you want to eat. Then call the Walt Disney World dining reservation line to make your advance reservations (407-WDW-DINE, or 407-939-3463). You can make reservations up to 180 days ahead of time, and certain reservations will get filled up on that very first day, so make sure you plan to call on that first day! Jot down your reservation information on the Meal Reservation Card from Appendix B, and put the restaurant name in your Weekly Schedule Card as well.

  Step 3: Plan Your Evenings

  If you’re not planning to be at a theme park in the evening, you might also consider your nighttime plans. Here are some thoughts:

  • If you’re at a dinner show, plan on letting that carry your evening plans.


  • Consider a night each at Downtown Disney and the BoardWalk.

  • Don’t plan every evening if you have kids. Let a few nights be calmer experiences back at your hotel, with early nights in.

  DID YOU KNOW?

  If you have special plans, such as wedding-renewal vows, a fishing excursion, or a round of golf, consider making those reservations as soon as possible. Remember, this is the busiest vacation destination in the world. If you thought of doing something, so did a lot of other people!

  Selecting Day-by-Day Activities

  What are you going to do at each park? Obviously, you have the park cards in the back of the book to remind you of what rides you want to try and those you want to skip. But if you’re still looking for a bit more guidance, you can look to the itineraries in Appendix A.

  These itineraries are divided into ones for groups with children and groups without children. You have one-day itineraries for each of the parks, which give you a general recommended route through the park that should help you miss the bigger crowds somewhat.

  Summary

  When you’re done with Part 1, you’ll have your entire big-picture planning done and you can start dreaming about all the food, accommodations, and entertainment fun that Walt Disney World has to offer.

  Chapter 2

  Establishing Your Budget

  In This Chapter

  • Plan your vacation’s travel budget

  • Figure out what the key elements will cost

  • Get an idea of the hidden costs and savings for each budget line item

  Ugh, nobody wants to talk about money. But if you spend just a few minutes planning out what you can afford up front, you can spend the rest of the trip enjoying yourself without worrying about what you’re going to owe on your credit card when you get home.

  On the budget spreadsheet later in this chapter, there’s room for you to plan your costs. I have also put in the costs for a fictional family so that you have a framework for comparison. Be aware that I used fairly conservative costs for this model, showing you the high-end cost. However, there are certainly special vacation offers to be had, so know that this is not the basement price. It simply is an example to help you envision typical expenses and identify areas where you might work to find lower costs. So who is this mythical family?

  Example Family

  Here are the fictional family stats:

  • Two adults, two children ages 7 and 13

  • Flying to Orlando for six nights and seven days

  • Going to the parks for six days, with no options

  • Staying at a Disney Value resort

  • Using the Standard Disney Dining Plan

  • Planning a stay during September (a Value season)

  • Assuming no special promotions (though plenty are out there!)

  Let’s take a look at the costs for this typical family of four. Remember that kids under three get to do many, if not most, things for free. This is the first way you may find your overall costs lowering from the one that we have in our fictional budget.

  Remember that you can go for a shorter stay, so don’t let the total at the bottom scare you off. Plenty of vacation deals can drop the price. The budget helps you gauge whether the offers you hear are worth your time. Where appropriate, I’ve also outlined some hidden costs and hidden savings that can influence the bottom line.

  Transportation

  In a recent survey of airfare from four U.S. cities (New York City, Charlotte, Indianapolis, and Des Moines), the price ranged from $650 to $850 for our family of four, with an average of $740. Considering price changes due to time of year and city of origin, at these rates, you can assume that airfare will cost approximately $200 per person, with West Coast departures adding another $100 per person or more to the total. We have assumed for our planning that the family will use the Disney Magical Express system. We also assume $10 per day for parking at the family’s home airport.

  MICKEY-SPEAK

  Disney Magical Express is a free bus service from Orlando International Airport to Disney resorts exclusively for guests at those resorts. It is explained in greater detail in Chapter 3.

  If you will drive instead, insert the estimated gas usage, as well as any overnight stays on the way that you may take. Don’t underestimate the advantage of driving to Disney and having the freedom that your own car provides.

  Bottom Line: $740 + $70 = $810

  Hidden Cost: Airport parking at your home city, airline bag check fees. Most travelers forget to take these into account.

  Hidden Savings: A little price shopping can get you a lower airfare bill.

  Accommodations

  Our family of four will stay in a single room at a Value resort. More expensive resorts offer greater accommodations and services, but the Value hotels are nothing to sneeze at.

  Bottom Line: $599

  Hidden Costs: Off-property hotels offer larger rooms with more amenities for the same or lower charges. Also, if you want to rent a fridge at a Value hotel, make sure you tack on $12 per day.

  Hidden Savings: You are on property, so buses are free, and you’re closer to the parks and get all the benefits of staying here, including extra park hours that are exclusively for resort guests as well as the Disney Magical Express.

  Tickets

  Walt Disney World tickets are not a simple one-ticket, one-day purchase situation. You have worlds of options, all covered in Chapter 4. For now, assume that our family of four will just get basic Magic Your Way tickets for six days, assuming that they cannot use park access on their arrival day.

  Bottom Line: $1,010.91

  Hidden Costs: Park hopping or water park features add to the price of the tickets, and hotel surcharges increase the cost.

  Hidden Savings: For our family of four, it is likely they would not have the time to visit a park on their departure date either, reducing the tickets to five days, and lowering costs further.

  Dining

  In Chapter 12, you can learn more about the Disney Dining Plan. This can save many different vacation groups a good amount of money.

  So how do we come up with a budget for food? Well, for our example family, the Disney Dining Plan is definitely the way to go, with a vacation-long cost of $899.76. But let’s assume another $30 per day in family spending here, to cover the second meal not included in the standard dining plan, and the occasional soda and snack.

  As for your own budget, the math is actually easy. Look at all the restaurant reviews in Chapters 13 to 15 for those where you plan on dining. Calculate your expenses there and then add any other expected dining.

  There is one faster alternative: Assume $50 per adult per day and $30 per child per day. However, here we will assume the dining plan cost plus the $30 for the family per day.

  Bottom Line: $1,109.76

  Hidden Costs: Snacks and drinks sneak up on you at every corner.

  Hidden Savings: Taking some drinks and snacks with you into the park can save as much as $40 or $50.

  Incidentals

  Did you really think you would get by without buying some Mickeyimprinted goodies? No, you will need some general spending money to buy toys, trinkets, clothing, and the occasional poncho if you are caught in a downpour. It’s best to assume the worst and plan for $10 per person per day.

  Also keep it in mind for your own budgeting, stroller rental costs around $20 a day, although, again, there are deals to be had. Usually when you rent one in a park, you get a receipt to get a free rental at any other park on the same day.

  Other incidentals include locker rental (usually $7 per day, with a $2 refund with key return), gift purchases, and all the other things that Disney throws your way to try to get you to buy. Believe me, it’s like trying to get a kid past the candy at the grocery store check-out!

  Bottom Line: $280

  Hidden Costs: Stands are selling things at every corner, making it hard to say no every moment of your vacation.

  Hidden Savings: Give kids
a one toy–one shirt budget for the whole trip. Let them make the final selection. They get the fun; you save some money.

  Total Bottom Line

  Add them all up and you get a figure just over $3,800. Yes, $3,800 seems a bit large for a family of four, but this is, as I mentioned earlier, a starting point, with high estimates. There are many ways to reduce this total, and for you it may already be lower, especially if you are not flying here. But the number is a good one to help you gauge your estimated costs.

  Cost-Saving Strategies

  So how do you get this number down? Really, it’s fairly easy. First, keep an eye on the Sunday newspaper and the Disney website. Regular offers will bring significant savings, if you can be patient. In the last several years there have been offers that range from small savings to even a “buy four days, get three free” for a savings of well over $400. There are often packages that include the Disney Dining Plan for free, saving well over $500. Also, check your traditional vacation discount sources, such as AAA, AARP, and any offers available from your employer’s HR department. Keep your eyes peeled.

  Another strategy is to stay off property. If savings are the focus, many hotels cost far less than the Disney resorts. You lose some benefits, but they may be ones that you can live without. Check out the local prices and try the national travel websites like Expedia.