FatWallet

Thanks!

WONDERFUL!!!

Someone had also suggested adding info to make Disneyworld into Orlando since there are a lot of questions on Universal in Orlando. Another site I used for Disneyworld was www.disneyecho.com

For Disneyland www.getawaytoday.com has package deals..and discount tickets (even some for Orlando)- you pay ahead and they mail them to you. I have done 3 Disneyland trips through them (you receive vouchers) and would highly recommend them.

Great job on the post!!!

I think it would be useful to also add a list of books (you know, those paper things) that are helpful. These are great for strategizing a day at the park and even for making specific room requests (like which side of the Dolphin to request so that you can see the fireworks at Epcot from the room). I really liked

The unofficial guide to Walt Disney World 2007 by Bob Sehlinger
Birnbaum's Walt Disney World

Any other books people like?

Thanks Everyone!! It has all been added!

Oh yes, make hotel reservations about a month in advance. Try to get a room with a kitchen in it,
since that will really help out if you have kids with you.

Don't stay on premises, as the rooms aren't worth the prices they charge. We were going to stay in
the Polynesian Resort, but, after checking them out thoroughly, http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/wdw/resorts/resortOverview?bhcp=1
we decided to spend the money on ourselves, rather than the maid service and fluffy pillows.

I've had good times at Disney and Universal Studios, but, being a native Floridian, I
don't get swept up and google eyed by palm trees in my hotel room.

biblereader said:computerquest said:I think it would be useful to also add a list of books (you know, those paper things) that are helpful. These are great for strategizing a day at the park and even for making specific room requests (like which side of the Dolphin to request so that you can see the fireworks at Epcot from the room). I really liked

The unofficial guide to Walt Disney World 2007 by Bob Sehlinger
Birnbaum's Walt Disney World

Any other books people like?

I've been going to Disneyworld since it opened in the 1971. The best way to see Disney is during the cooler months in Florida, which would be from about October through March. Otherwise, you will sweat to death, waiting in long lines, and if you have young children, be prepared to buy lots of expensive sodas and foods to keep them occupied while waiting in the long lines.
Arrive as soon as the gates open, and rush to the attractions known for long lines, like, Pirates of the Carribean.
Bring about 200 dollars spending money PER PERSON. The souvenirs are outrageously expensive,
so are the restaurants.
Wear good shoes.
Be patient.

Yikes $200 a person! What are you buying? I've been to Disney world hundreds of time and I've never once spent $200 total! with 3 kids in tow! The counter service restaurants are no more expensive than anywhere else. Cheeseburger and fries are about $6-7.00. Definitely no big deal. Besides, they let you bring in practically whatever you want without question. I always pack snacks and drinks. I freeze water bottles, bring sodas, pringles, popcorn whatever... I've seen people with small coolers. Pack a lunch and dinner if you need to. I guess if you are used to buying alot of themepark, carnival, amusement park junk as souvenirs then I guess you could spend alot but that is purely your decision. You may want to play it right and go early to the parks and then come back during the middle of the day for a swim or the waterparks and then go back to the themeparks later on. PS. I've have never once waited in line at Pirates of the Caribbean ride in 20 years. Just my 2 cents.

kinsuns said:Can some people post some of the deals they received and post a sort of list of the total cost of the trip, the date of the trip, number of people, flight included or not, etc. so that we can see what's going on. OP has a lot of sites here, but different sites are giving different specials and it's hard to see exactly what's going on. It would be very helpful, thanks.

I'll try- I live 697 (!) miles from Kissimmee. I allocate one overnight stop before I arrive there, usually stopping somewhere just across the FL state line (family tradition of stopping for free OJ). I typically use either marriotreward points or hilton honors points for this stop. Stopping with only a couple of hours left in the trip allows me to hit the ground running without suffering from the drive. First day is a downtown Disney day, purchase tickets, get in 'the mood'. Might do Disney Quest. Early turn in and study the charts (if staying on property) to find out which parks are marked for early entry. If I'm not staying inside the park, I AVOID these parks on EE days. I usually do a 5 day hopper, so 5x $275.00 just for tickets. There are several Wal Marts in the area, either off International or ...Kissimmee? I forget. Usually grocery stores and drug stores as well. I allocate 100-130 per night for accomodations, either a condo, nice outside the park hotel or one of the moderate property hotels. As stated in my previous post, military members can stay at SOG for 80-130 per night-one secret they DON'T tell you is that if they are overbooked, they can get you into any of the moderates for the same price! Ok, back on track. Meals: we usually do 1 meal in the park (2 adults, 2 teens, one of them barely(he's 13)). We go out to eat at least twice, no more. Bear in mind that most of the parks during the summertime will be open until 10PM-12AM. This can make for a long day, so we take the advice of most of the tour books-we're there at rope drop (often an hour or more of the earliest time posted), we tour hard until mid morning when the sun begins to bear down, then back to the hotel for a siesta. Pool swim, water park, nap, lunch, etc. Back to the park around 3-4, watching the sunburned crowds pass by with screaming kids, adults with their patience so frazzled they're saying, loud enough for everyone to hear, 'this is the LAST time we come to WDW'. Stay until the fireworks show (doing your research to know where to stand, so you're not stuck behind the throngs of people once it's over) and back to the hotel. We do this for the first two days, then we vote on a) poolside for a day, sleep in late or b) water park (this one usually wins).

Let's see...$1200 on tickets, $250.00 on fuel, $600 for rooms(5 nights), $400.00 on general food, $200 on special meals out. VERY little if anything on park souvenirs-maybe we've just been lucky, but by building up the trips to WDW and making our sons a part of the planning process, they ask for very little-unless we're at Sea World, where they would each blow a years allowance on feeding those dolphin! A little over 2K for 5 days in the most enchanting place in the world-I'm of the unpopular opinion that families who can afford to take their children to WDW but don't are guilty on some level of a sort of child abuse.

Those are rough numbers-air fare would be deducted from the fuel cost, all meals in the park would cause that number to go up substantially. I will tell you that yogurt, bagels and cereals to start the day off can eliminate one meal altogether. Hope this helps!

CPT - Nice post about SOG, but just to clarify, SOG is only available for DoD civilians and other federal employees who work on military installations, NOT federal employees generally.