Is it better to book through Disney or are there better savings if you book through other means like a Southwest Airlines vacation package or other travel site?

Any suggestions??

Call Disney first and get a quote and if anybody else is cheaper due it through them.

Highly recommend staying at a Disney resort though.

Cant speak as far as booking it is concerned, but my one piece of advice would be to stay at one of the "on sight" Disney hotels as opposed to an "off sight" hotel/resort that is not on the Monorail.

It is soooooooo worth the extra money to stay at one of the Disney Hotels. It is so much easier to get on the Monorail, that goes by the Disney resorts, than to try to park and drive to and from the parks each day. We would just get up, eat breakfast, then hop on the Monorail that came to our hotel front door, and it would deliver us to the park of our choice in air conditioned comfort. Same thing at the end of each day. I distinctly remember all the thousands of people exiting the park at the days end, to the acres of parking lots, looking tired, sweaty and kids screaming. Just to get in line for who knows how long, trying to exit the place.

The Disney hotels on the Monorail system are The Contemporary, The Polynesian, and the Grand Floridain. We stayed at the GF.

Those are the only three on the monorail. There are other Disney hotels such as the Wilderness Lodge, but they are NOT on the monorail.

My other recomendation is to get the SPEEDPASS. Totally worth the money also.



[This message has been edited by R.R. Ag (edited 8/24/2009 1:34p).]

The monorail only goes to magic Kingdom and Epcot.

If you want a water park, or Studios, or Animal Kingdom, Downtown disney etc., you're gonna have to take a bus anyway.

If you stay on the monorail loop you either wait longer for a bus than the other hotels or you take the monorail to the TTC and then wait on a bus.

look at www.mousesavers.com for discount codes. Try www.wdwinfo.com for info.

There's a great message board at www.wdwmagic.com under the dicsussion boards.

And if you're wanting help booking contact Kingdom Consultants. They're independent travel agents, but there is no charge for their service. They only set up Disney vacations.

Any other questions, just ask. My wife and I are kind of Disney experts we've been so much.

definitely agree with the above poster that it is worth it to spend the extra money to stay on the monorail, especially with kiddos.

Regarding a SPEEDPASS, i believe the FASTPASS is free. You simply go to the ride and pick up a FASTPASS for whatever time is provided.

I second the mousesavers site as the best source of Disney World bargains. Lots of good discounts available now. Another good planning site is Intercot. Reserving directly through Disney doesn't always point you to the best discounts.

I've used the travel agencies recommended through those two sites, since they will automatically apply new discounts for you as they come online. You also can avoid the long phone waits.

We're also big fans of staying on property. Longer hours and the Disney transportation system (whether monorail, bus or boat) make this worth the extra $$$.

Right now for stays from mid-october throught he week before christmas you can get free dining. If you stay at a value resort you can stay for a week for around $800 per adult I think, if not less.

We always do the value resort just to save money. We like them just fine, and the theming there is great for younger kids. The deluxe resorts mentioned above are great too. We just prefer to save money.

But let us know when you are going, how old any kids are, what parks they'd like best, etc.

Thanks for all the info. Our family is looking to go for Christmas this year. We are trying to book very soon and I think we are trying to stay at the Contemporary Resort. Everyone says that staying on the monorail line is worth the extra money and from ya'll experiences, I think we are going to go with that.

We just want to make sure that booking through Disney isn't going to cost us too much more money than say booking through another site that can get us the same package for a cheaper price.

I will definitely look up the other sites you all have suggested. If any other tips, please pass 'em along.

Thanks.

Sorry, but I disagree w/ just about everyone above. I used to work @ WDW and just got back 1.5 weeks ago from my most recent trip.

Stay at a value resort like the Pop Century resort. HAVE A RENTAL CAR. I repeat. HAVE A RENTAL CAR. Drive and park at the Contemporary Resort when you go to the Magic Kingdom. Say you are eating at Chef Mickey's for the character breakfast and they will let you in. Park at the other parks in their lots.

When we were there, we could get to our hotel within 10 minutes from any park. Plus, we saved a ton of money by staying at the Pop Century Resort. The rental car cost about $140 for the week.

We are Pop Century people as well. Except we use the bus system. Have never had a problem with Disney busses. Pop has a dedicated bus system meaning it doesn't chare busses with other resorts meaning fewer crowded busses and less wait time.

I like the contemporary resort too and if we had the money wouldn't mind staying there sometime. But when we go we have a lower budget in mind.

i don't think staying on monorail is worth the extra money personally. it doesn't get you to two of the parks.

if you have the means, by all means, stay in an expensive location. but you really won't be saving that much time overall. we (total group of 24) stayed at fort wilderness last time and the 6-10 year olds in the group loved it. plus, saved their parents some dough to be able to cook, make sandwiches, etc.


i think the bus system is fine. i wouldn't want to rent a car, but thats just personal preference.

Is getting the Dining Plan worth it?

Depends. If it's free it's definitely worth it. They have several otions. The two most used are the regular one and the quick service.

Regular plan provides one sit down meal per day such as a character dinner, or a nice meal in their signature restaraunts. One quick service meal a day. Burger, dog, salad, etc. And one snack. Lots of options ont he snack.

The quick service I think provide 2 quick service and a snack per day.

We really like the dining plan because we like the sit down dinner. However it is expensive. Like $36/day/adult I think. But the nice restaraunts are at least 20 bucks a plate anyway, and up.

Oh, and the dining plan no longer includes a tip. You must leave a tip separately charged to you "Key to the Kingdom" card.

Like I said we usually go during the free dining plan period which right now is Sept 27 through Dec 17. First night of stay must fall on these dates to qualify the entire vacation for the free dining. i.e. if you check in on the 17th and leave ont he 24th you get free dining the whole time. You can book through Disney.

FYI-Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party stops running on 12/18/09. It DOES NOT RUN the week of Christmas. The lights and everything will still be up, but the actual party will not run. We thought the party was great. They have a special parade, lighter crowds, etc.

[This message has been edited by Sweet Kitten Feet (edited 8/25/2009 11:25a).]

i kinda skimmed through those posts, but if you are going at Christmas it will be packed, we went the week after Thanksgiving, dad back from deployment and pulled kids out of school (dont knock me for pulling them out of school) and was way better, they said the week after Thanksgiving is one of th eslowest weeks and have all the Christmas benefits,
def. stay at a Disney hotel

The week before the week of Christmas is always low as well. We went the 14th through something last year and it was great. Crowds were light, wait times were great, weather was awesome. Don't go the week of Christmas unless you have too. And like I mentioned the Christmas party doens't run the week of Christmas anyway.

All the other Christmas stuff runs through the 1st week of January though.

quote:

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dont knock me for pulling them out of school

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Good for you - I would have done the same thing if I were in your shoes.

An Aggie's Wife

I wish we could go the week before Christmas but the kicker is that of the 9 people in my family that are going, 3 are working for the schools as either a principal, counselor, and a teacher. My daughter also graduates from college the weekend before christmas. Our only option that fits all of our schedules is from the 23rd through the 28th.

I guess we'll just have to miss the Christmas party.

We are looking at staying at the Contemporary Resort. The Bay Tower at the Contemporary resort is also an option.

Thanks for all the info.

I would also suggest looking into purchasing or renting points from a DIS member. You could find someone needing to unload at the last minute and get a great deal.

We are going Dec 16-24 and staying at the Bay Lake Tower--it is our favorite time of year to go. The decorations cannot be beat! I would stay away from the Magic Kingdom on Christmas Day though, a lot of locals go there then and it is packed.

GO To VRBO.com

Find a house with a pool for the week!!!!

Go to the Dolphin parking lot and take the boat to a couple of the resorts then leap on to the tram for the others. You may have to drive to 1 of them...

Also!!!!! Universal Studio is better then any of the Disney parks, it's not even close. But it does depend on the age of the kids.

I did Wilderness Lodge last year the week before Christmas and am doing the Polynesian this year... I love taking the boats to Magic Kingdom, and the daughters do too, not as crowded and never much of a wait.

Did SWA separate, and the rest through Disney for the free dining plan... last year do plane and park tickets separate, but the free dining plan made sense this time.

If you stay at the Dolphin or the Swan hotels you can take a bus, a boat (to MGM or Epcot) or walk to Epcot and take a Monorail from there. The walk is 12 minutes. I timed it last time I was there.

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HAVE A RENTAL CAR. I repeat. HAVE A RENTAL CAR.

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I agree completely. It can save you an hour a day or more to avoid the buses.

If you go to wdwinfo.com, There is a discussion under DVC Members for a rent or treat board that you can get great accomodations to stay in at a good price. Make any dining reservations that you want now and they feel up fast and you can do that on the internet.

If you apply for a Chase Disney Rewards VISA you get 6 months no interest financing on all Vacation packages booked through Disney.

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Class of 2004
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